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School District of Lancaster and the Lancaster Partnership Program
(Lancaster, PA)
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| Goal: |
To increase high school graduation and college participation rates among socioeconomically disadvantaged students. |
| Strategy: |
Implementing career education and college awareness activities, providing tutoring and mentoring services, and sponsoring college scholarships to encourage high school students to pursue post-secondary education degrees.
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| Tactics: |
The partnership holds monthly student/parent workshops that provide families with important information on admission requirements, financial aid, scholarships, and other college preparation topics. The partnership also sponsors visits to regional colleges and universities to help acclimate students to college life.
The corporate partners work closely with high school teachers to coordinate site visits, plant tours, and job-shadowing experiences for students at their companies. Many business leaders visit the high school classes as "Career Speakers."
The partnership recruits tutors and mentors from member businesses, as well as the local community, and provides training for these volunteers to help them give high school students the extra guidance and academic support they need to succeed in high-level courses and remain on track for high school graduation and post-secondary education options.
The partnership raises funds and awards scholarships to eligible students.
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| Results: |
Since 1990, more than 6,000 students have participated in at least one component of the Lancaster Partnership Program (i.e. tutoring, career education, etc.)
More than 790 students have fulfilled all requirements of the high school portion of the program.
The partnership assisted the school district in reducing its dropout rate from a high of 11.2 percent in 1992 to 7.1 percent in 2004.
Over the last 10 years, approximately 72 percent of students who participate in partnership programs have been college-bound.
Since 1990, the number of college-bound African-American and Latino students in Lancaster School District has increased by 129 percent.
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