Beyond 12

Background

Despite the fact that students are enrolling at higher rates, college completion rates are dismal, particularly for underserved students. According to Education Trust West, only 55% of students who start bachelor's degrees at four-year colleges and universities end up with a degree six years later.

While college completion rates are rising overall, the gap between different groups of students is widening. By age 24, African American students earn bachelors' degrees at half and Latino students at one-third the rate of white students. Low-income students earn bachelors' degrees at one-eighth the rate of their more advantaged peers (9% vs. 75%). Students from homes where neither parent has earned a bachelor's degree are twice as likely as those with a college-educated parent to leave before their second year. (Source: Susan P. Choy of MPR Associates, 2004)

The social entrepreneurs behind Beyond 12 realized that although there are many programs emphasizing the importance of college entrance for underserved, low income students of color who will be the first in their family to attend college, there was a dearth of programs that support these students when they get there. Full Circle Fund's Education Circle was inspired by Beyond 12's vision that one day every student who enrolls in college will be prepared to handle the rigors of higher education and will earn a degree with genuine economic value. Together the two organizations embarked on a partnership to help Beyond 12 during an exciting period of major growth.

Mission

Beyond 12 is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the number of first generation, underrepresented and low-income students who graduate from our nation's colleges and universities. Through an innovative technology platform and a student coaching service, Beyond 12 acts as a data and service bridge between our lower and higher education systems to help high schools and colleges provide their students with the academic, social and emotional support they need to succeed in higher education.

Full Circle Fund Role

College Success identified the following needs that Full Circle Fund's team is tackling as part of the grant:

• Conduct internal interviews with key stakeholders: staff, board, funders, to understand goals and aspirations for higher education partnerships.
• Conduct external interviews of higher education administrators, researchers, policymakers, and service/technology providers to refine understanding of market needs and pricing.
• Conduct market research to identify product offerings and sales, marketing, and pricing models of other organizations.
• Conduct literature review on higher education college success rates.
• Put together a partnership plan/package.
• Create a quantitative partnership evaluation Excel model to analyze potential partners.

Impact

Full Circle Fund's Beyond 12 Project Team intends to provide the following deliverables:

• Notes and synopses of interviews with internal and external stakeholders.
• A synthesis of literature review on higher education college success rates.
• A comprehensive higher education sales, marketing, and partnership plan/package, including partnership criteria, metrics for partnership success, a pricing sheet with a retention calculator to show ROI for a high education partner.
• A sales, marketing, and partnership implementation plan, including a draft MOU/business requirements of a partner.
• A list of institutions to target, with the goal of 5-10 high education partners in place for AY11-12.
• A quantitative partnership evaluation tool.

NAME: Beyond 12
LOCATION: San Francisco
WEB: beyond12.org
GRANT TERM: 2010-2011
TEAM LEAD: Lindsay Norcott