Paving the Way to Postsecondary Education: K-12 Intervention Programs for Underrepresented Youth. Report of the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative Working Group on Access to Postsecondary Education.

Overview & Synopsis

This report presents data from published literature, surveys of state higher education executive officers and chief school officers, and information from foundations, government, and other agencies and organizations regarding access to higher education for under-represented youth. It maps the field of K-12 postsecondary education bridge program types and features, identifying and reviewing selected K-12 postsecondary education college access programs with analytical data that describe how programs work, based on needs and problems identified in the literature. It also identifies information needed to evaluate K-12/postsecondary education bridge programs. Common features among effective programs include providing a key person to mentor students over time; providing high quality instruction through untracking and special coursework; considering students' cultural backgrounds; providing peer support; and providing financial assistance and incentives. Program limitations include attrition, participant selection, academic achievement, type of postsecondary institution, and costs. Few programs have completed thorough evaluation of their activities. Overall, the programs have little effect on academic achievement. They augment what schools do but do not fundamentally change how schools interact with students. Three appendixes include a review of the literature on opportunities to learn, a list of programs for which information was submitted, and program descriptions. (Contains 148 references.) (SM)