Success Stories

Solutions that help children succeed in school and pursue higher education can come from anywhere. Here are some examples of approaches that have gotten positive results. Please Send Us a Note to share those you’ve come across.

Classes teach parents how to help their children succeed
High Achievement Program
Admission Possible
Network for the Development of Children of African Descent
Project Geek Squad
Building Block Tutorial
Destination 2010
Medtronic STAR Program

Classes teach parents how to help their children succeed

This example comes from the July 2007 Citizen's League report, "Educating Minnesota's Immigrant Students" (PDF, p. 14)

The Parent Institute for Quality Education (PIQE) in California runs nine-week training classes for parents, particularly those who did not attend college themselves, to learn how to help their children succeed in school and prepare for higher education. While not restricted to immigrant families, the curriculum directly addresses some of the challenges they face.

The program is offered at no charge to parents and is offered in a flexible schedule to adjust to parents’ work schedules. Over the course of nine weeks, parents learn skills and knowledge including:

How the U.S. school system works, expectations for students, and expectations for parent involvement
How to establish a supportive home environment for their children, communicate well with their children, and promote the development of their children’s self-esteem and personal discipline
How to establish and maintain communication with school staff
How to take advantage of resources like the library, tutors, and mentors

Since the program began in 1987, over 360,000 parents have graduated from the course.

Sources: Y Tu Mamá También, Inside Higher Ed, 6/27/06; Parent Institute for Quality Education

High Achievement Program

The High Achievement Program (HAP) in St. Louis Park High School supports minority students who take Advanced Placement (AP) or honors courses. HAP was developed by two student advocate staff members at the school concerned about the national trends for AP students showing that non-Asian, minority AP students don't keep pace with AP students overall. This year, 24 students are participating in HAP, up from 8 last year. Advocates meet with students once a week, stay in touch with teachers, find tutors and work with students individually. At the weekly meetings, each student reports on their progress. Key elements of the program's success are the support network, tutoring and the bonding that occurs with other minority students taking rigorous courses. For more information, contact Stacy Collins or Shlynn Hayes at 952-928-6150.

Admission Possible

Admission Possible is a nonprofit organization founded in 2000 that helps promising, low-income students obtain admission to college. It serves nearly 1,000 students in 13 public high schools and charter schools in Minneapolis, St. Paul and Robbinsdale. Overall, 98% of the students assisted by the program have been admitted to college and more than 80% are persisting in college or have already graduated. Admission Possible serves those who have the potential to attend college but lack the resources. Students participate for two years and receive assistance with SAT/ACT preparation, college search, applications and financial aid processes. The program is delivered by an Admission Possible leadership team and AmeriCorps members who work together to represent and share the program’s values. Read more about the Admission Possible Culture.

Network for the Development of Children of African Descent (NdCAD)

NdCAD offers programs and services that shape the future of children of African descent. One successful program is the “Parent Power” literacy and advocacy workshops that positively affect how parents see themselves as their child’s first and lifelong teacher while preparing them to build effective partnerships with teachers. Parents attend three sessions on understanding a child’s reading level, helping the child understand what he or she reads, selecting books, and important questions to ask teachers. Comments from parents who have completed the program include:

“It’s like I woke up and realized that I am responsible for educating my child.”

“My daughter did well on the MCAII test because she was better prepared and I learned what I could do to help her. She wasn’t as nervous about the test.”

“Parent Power caused me to buy my first Black book ever. I realized that I have to teach my daughters that they are beautiful. Helping them with reading can help me do that. Parent Power helped me understand that!”

Project Geek Squad

Project Geek Squad, the brainchild of Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens, teaches Minneapolis High School students to repair computers that they then take home. After soliciting donations of repairable computers, monitors, and keyboards from the community, Geek Squad agents held workshops in December 2005 and January 2006 at Roosevelt, North, and Edison high schools in Minneapolis. Geek Squad agents worked side-by-side with more than 60 students who were recruited by their technology instructors to participate in the program. The goal of the project is to expose students to careers in technology and help them understand their capabilities and the possibilities for their futures. Achieve!Minneapolis provided start up assistance for Project Geek Squad.

Building Block Tutorial

Building Block Tutorial is a one-on-one tutoring program for second-and third-graders in an inner-city church in St. Paul. Formed in 1989, the church was seeking to fill a learning gap for students in neighborhood public schools. At first, the church committee had nothing but a need and an idea. To turn their idea into action, they found out how to hire staff, work with families, students, funding organizations, schools and other city agencies. Based on their experience creating a successful volunteer-based tutoring program, they decided to develop a manual to share their steps and experiences with others. The manual costs $28 and includes information on grant writing, committee members, staffing, working with families, finding tutors, promotion, sample forms, arranging for student transportation, government regulations and more. To find out more about manual or program call Jill Jackson, (651) 228-1378, or view the Building Blocks Tutorial Web page.

Destination 2010

Destination 2010 was launched in 2001 by the Minneapolis Foundation to improve student achievement, increase high school graduation rates, and advance educational reform. It serves a single, large cohort of students from Minneapolis and St. Paul public schools who were identified in third grade, and will continue working with them through high school. Those students who remain continuously enrolled in a Minneapolis or St. Paul district public school through graduation (in the year 2010) will receive a scholarship upon enrollment in a post-secondary instituion: $10,000 for a 4-year college or $5,000 for a technical school.

Destination 2010 is not a "direct service" program, but an initiative to "connect the dots" among organizations, schools, and families. It draws on the Minneapolis Foundation’s work with Minneapolis and St. Paul schools and its extensive research. From these efforts it has learned the following about building school success:

Start Early — between third and fourth grade has been identified as the critical year when underachieving kids emotionally start to give up on school. Destination 2010 gives kids a tangible goal and the belief that the community is behind them in achieving it.
Coordinate and leverage the best of existing resources — many efforts exist to improve academic success, but they need coordination to ensure that every student gets what he or she needs.
Involving parents contributes to children performing better in school, at home and as a community citizen.
Providing teachers with classroom resources and children who are prepared to learn, energizes them to teach at their best.

Medtronic STAR Program

In 1992 Medtronic initiated the STAR (Science and Technology Are Rewarding) grant initiative to stimulate and sustain student interest in science. Grants support programs for professional development for teachers and for program materials and equipment. Since its inception the STAR program has helped some 1.5 million K-12 students. This includes long-term partnerships with the three largest school districts in Minnesota.

Science literacy leads to a significant number of career paths. It also improves one's ability to be a smart consumer and responsible citizen. In developing STAR, the Medtronic Foundation worked with scientists, engineers, teachers and administrators to identify five key qualities of successful science educating programs. They are:

Curriculum content consistent with national and state standards that employ hands on strategies, is culturally appropriate and tailors concepts to students’ developmental levels.
Instruction by teachers who understand science and are willing and able to use a variety of materials to develop interest in science and increase students’ science understanding.
Expectation on the part of those who work with students, that all students can be “good at science.”
Peer Support that provides opportunities for students to support each other’s interests in science such as those found in clubs, organizations and other group experience.
Assessment that evaluates student progress toward program objectives and provides information to make adjustments.