Across the country, communities in the StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network are working to put more young people on a path to economic mobility. StriveTogether’s seven cradle-to-career outcome areas are critical milestones that shape a child’s educational journey and future success. Each post in this series will provide an in-depth look at one of these key areas, highlighting the challenges, opportunities and impactful strategies that can drive positive change.
Postsecondary enrollment is a vital step toward postsecondary degree completion and a strong predictor of economic mobility. With a large and growing share of jobs requiring college-educated workers, this outcome area is increasingly critical. However, disparities persist in enrollment rates; addressing these gaps is key to building systems that support long-term success.
Collaborating for increased postsecondary enrollment in Racine County
Cradle to Career Network member Higher Expectations for Racine County is working to address these disparities by bringing together partners from across the community. They convene a collaborative of cross-sector partners focused on increasing enrollment opportunities for all students in Racine Unified School District (RUSD).
Using data from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and the National Student Clearinghouse, the partnership regularly monitors postsecondary enrollment rates. They are working closely with students and families to understand and address barriers to enrollment. Through one-on-one interviews, focus groups and surveys, Higher Expectations has gathered valuable insights into the local college-going culture, learning that many students perceive college as an option only for exceptional students or athletes. This underscores the need for systems-level change.
In 2022, Higher Expectations collaborated with a Carthage College student to better understand student perspectives. This qualitative data, combined with surveys of over 400 RUSD students, revealed that only 60% of students were aware of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and just 56% of those aware had a plan to complete it. Despite a desire to attend college, enrollment rates remained low, with postsecondary enrollment rates for RUSD graduates in the 2021-2022 academic year at 35%.
Transformative initiatives and systems-level changes
Studies have found that dual enrollment programs — which allow high school students to take college-level courses and earn credits toward a degree — have positive impacts on students’ high school completion, college access and enrollment, college degree attainment and general academic achievement. To that end, and in partnership with UW-Parkside, Carthage College and RUSD, Higher Expectations developed the Education Pathway program, allowing high school students to earn up to seven college credits before graduating. This program, available at three local high schools, provides concurrent enrollment opportunities and has already seen 55 students participate in dual-credit courses. In 2023, the pathway was expanded to include youth apprenticeship programs, offering paid opportunities for students to explore education as a career while earning college credits.
Higher Expectations has also led efforts to create a stronger alignment between K-12 and postsecondary math pathways and to eliminate traditional remediation — or “catch-up” classes. These are courses that many students are required to take if they’re not considered ready for college-level work, which slow down progress toward a degree and have been shown to negatively impact student postsecondary persistence. Through their data-sharing agreements and partnerships with local higher education institutions, Higher Expectations is making changes to help students be better prepared and move more quickly toward postsecondary completion.
As Higher Expectations continues to collaborate with students and families, they are focused on dismantling systemic barriers and building a college-going culture that supports all students. The progress in Racine County, with enrollment rates steadily increasing, demonstrates the power of community-led, outcomes-focused collaboration.
Postsecondary enrollment is one of the seven key outcome areas addressed by the Cradle to Career Network — all critical steps on the path to economic mobility. Learn more about the importance of postsecondary enrollment in the StriveTogether cradle-to-career outcome guide, here.
