Key Initiatives

College Ready New England is developing three Phase I initiatives that will assist the six states in advocating on behalf of the region’s learners; building a sense of urgency among the public and decision-makers regarding college success and economic competitiveness; and providing resources to help expand postsecondary readiness, participation and success in the region. Here’s how:

I - Leadership Goals

• CRNE will engage governors and other leaders to endorse and commit to a set of regional “Leadership Goals,” which include increasing the number of:

  1. High school graduates and GED recipients (High School Success)

  2. High school graduates prepared for college and career success (College Readiness)

  3. Learners enrolling in college (College Access)

  4. College graduates (Retention, Success/Completion)

II – Regionwide College Readiness & Success Campaign

This leadership-oriented campaign will assist New England's business, government and education leaders to advocate and adopt policy measures that increase the number of individuals who are adequately prepared to contribute to the economic growth of the region in a competitive, changing global economy.

• Create a sense of urgency about the necessity of more fully integrating education (K-12 and postsecondary) systems and removing barriers to students’ progress, transitions and success.

• Catalyze policymakers to pursue state-specific policies aimed at increasing postsecondary and career readiness, college access and attainment—particularly for underrepresented populations.
  
  

III– Regionwide College Access Marketing Initiative

College access marketing campaigns are a growing national phenomenon in education outreach and college readiness efforts. Successful statewide, multi-year college access marketing campaigns have been launched recently in California, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas. Their common behavioral objectives have included motivating students to:

• Stay in high school

• Study more and increase academic achievement

• Complete GED programs

• Use online college planning tools

• Prepare for entrance exams

• Apply to and enroll in college

• Apply for financial aid

• Complete bachelor’s degrees

The proposed initiative will guide the six New England states in developing and implementing strategic outreach and college access marketing campaigns. The resulting marketing and communications tools will target students and parents, eliciting deliberate and specific actions to increase high school achievement and completion, college readiness and entry, postsecondary success and/or employment readiness.