866.622.3066 www.MELMACFoundation.org

1. Presented by: Wendy L. Ault, Executive Director Tarren Bragdon, Consultant Connect Aspirations to a Plan Bidders’ Conference – New Applicants September 18, 2007 866.622.3066www.MELMACFoundation.org

2. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Overview of the Foundation • Two clear goals • Help more Maine high school students go onto college • Help more students at Maine colleges to persist to a timely graduation • Definition of “college” • 4-year, 2-year, certificate and military • Flexible funding • Fund activities and programs rather than staff • Stipend people for defined tasks • Mandatory planning period • Clear set of defined required best practices with proven success

3. Strategic Development Process • Maine’s College Attainment Rates Are Below Expectations, Particularly Given the Performance of New England Peers Rates of Attainment for a Bachelor’s Degree vs. Rates of Attainment for a High School Diploma % of Adults 25 and Over with a High School Diploma or More Source: 2005 US Census Data

4. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • The College Degree Premium: • $21,000 more per year (75% pay increase) & almost half the unemployment rateThe earnings gap based on education status has grown dramatically since 1975 Unemployment rate by educational level Source: PostSecondary.org

5. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • The College Degree Premium in Maine: • Young adults in Maine with an Associate or Bachelor’s college degree earn $7,000 to $10,000 more a year than those with only a high school diploma. After twenty years in the workforce, this income gap grows to $12,000 (Associate) to $31,000 (Bachelor’s). Source: US Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Maine 2005-2006 for full-time, year-round workers

6. Strategic Development Process High School Graduates’ Aspirations, Enrollment and Persistence Rates Contribute to the Gap from High School Graduation to College Attainment Projected Educational Attainment of Public School Graduates Comparison for Equal Graduates based on Maine and US Averages Aspirations Gap Enrollment Gap If Maine reaches the national average target, then 1,300 more students will graduate from college Persistence Gap 65% 73% 55% 68% 35% 43% Percent of total 9th graders entering Maine high schools 85% 55% 47% 30% 77% 56% 52% 32% National average • While 85% of Maine 9th graders are expected to graduate from high school, • only 47% will enroll in college and only 30% will earn a college degree Source: Maine Education Policy Research Institute. Maine Department of Education (2001). National Center for Education Statistics (1999).

7. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Proven Activities to Increase College Enrollment Rates • Students Participating in Certain College Access Activities Are Much More Likely to Enroll in and Graduate from College Young adults whose high schools offered the programs cited reporting participation Most Influential Activities for Students (in order of impact) How much more likely to attain a college degree were students who participated in a particular college access activity,compared to those not participating? • College visits • In-class college planning • College presentation at high school • College fairs Source: Mitchell Institute, Barriers to Postsecondary Education in Maine, July 2002

8. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Parental Engagement and Involvement is Critical • Students with Parents who are Proactive in College Planning Are Much More Likely to Enroll in and Graduate from College How much more likely to attain a college degree were students whose parents participated in a particular college access activity,compared to those students whose parents did not participate? Most Influential Activities for Parents (in order of impact) • Spoke with Admissions professional • Attended college open house • Spoke with financial aid advisor • Researched college planning and options • Parents without college degrees are the least likely to take these action steps to help students plan for college – though participate more in events held at schools Source: Mitchell Institute, Barriers to Postsecondary Education in Maine, July 2002, D-35 FSG Analysis of Mitchell Institute Data

9. Connect Aspirations to a Plan - Background • Academic Preparation Rate College enrollment rates by students’ highest math course taken and by parents’ education Taking one additional math course makes a big difference! Parents with high school diploma or less Parents with bachelor’s degree First generation students enroll in college at almost twice the rate when completing a math course beyond Algebra II Source: Choy, Susan. Access & Persistence 2002 American Council on Education

10. Connect Aspirations to a Plan - Background • High school curriculum has a • great impact on college persistence College persistence rates by high school curriculum and by parents’ education Parents with high school diploma or less Parents with bachelor’s degree First-generation students persist in college at almost the same rate when completing a rigorous high school curriculum, minimizing the impact of parents’ education Source: US Dept of Education, NCES, Indicator 23 Basic curriculum: 4 yrs English & 3 yrs of math, science & social studies Rigorous curriculum: 4 yrs English and math (including pre-calculus); 3 yrs of foreign language, social studies and science (including biology, chemistry and physics); 1 honors/AP course

11. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • FAFSA Completion Rate • Financial Aid – The Great Equalizer When academically prepared and taking the necessary steps toward college admission, low-income students enroll at the same high rate as middle-income students Source: Choy, Susan. Access & Persistence 2002 American Council on Education

12. Strategic Development Process Two Strategic Focus Areas Were Identified as High Leverage Based on Internal and External Screening Criteria Phase I:Study of StudiesSecondary Research Educational Needs in Maine Phase II:Intensive Primary and Secondary Research The Gap to College Decision:2 StrategicFocus Areas Connect Aspirations to a Plan Support Early Success in College • Improve the ability of Maine students from middle school through high school to better understand options for postsecondary study • Increase college enrollment of students graduating from Maine high schools • Improve the ability of students at Maine colleges to successfully navigate the transition to college, particularly in the first and second years • Increase the retention and graduation rates of students at Maine postsecondary institutions First awards made Summer 2003Second round of awards made Fall 2005 First awards made Spring 2005 Over a 10-year period, these two focus areas are the core strategy for statewide impact

13. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Progress to Date • 2003 & 2005Funding for Connect Aspirations to a Plan • College Access Transitions, College Access Schools, College Access Communities • Over $3.4 million in awardssince 2003 • Impact on Maine High Schools • 52 High schools • 2 technical centers • 29 School-based grants (16-2003, 13-2005) • 17 Community-based grants (12 -2003, 5-2005) • 1 Transitions-based grants (1-2005) • 35% of all Maine high schools, public & private • 39% of all Maine high school students reached • The most needy Maine high schools and students targeted – MELMAC grantee high schools have an initial lower high school graduation rate and lower college going rate than those Maine high schools not receiving MELMAC grants Maine High School Districts with MELMAC grants

14. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Progress to Date • Higher Education Enrollment Rates - Classes of 2003-2006 • MELMAC High Schools Since 2003, 674 more students participated in higher education (586 in college) after three years of college access activities at the 51 current MELMAC High Schools **1 grant did not report in 2006 *1 grant did not report in 2005

15. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Progress to Date • Higher Education Intention and Enrollment Rates • Classes of 2003-2006 - MELMAC High Schools Since 2003, 1,455 students indicated their intent to enroll in college but had not enrolled by the fall following graduation, the so-called “summer melt” (631 with 4-year and 824 with 2-year college intentions) Percent of High School Graduates 4-year colleges 2-year colleges **1 grant did not report in 2006 *1 grant did not report in 2005

16. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Proven Best Practices of College Access Programs • Required for Connect Aspirations to a Plan Grantees • No carve-outs – ALL students need assistance • Require data reporting and opportunity for timely data analysis • Fund Grant Coaches – outside the grant - provide technical support and encouragement as well as promote accountability • Engage Parents • College Visits – in-state and out-of-state, small and large campuses, 2-year and 4-year – ideally for all sophomores and juniors • Give PSAT/PLAN to all sophomores – all students “college material” • Give PSAT and/or SAT/ACT to all juniors – all students taking necessary steps to apply to college • Program to ensure successful transition to post-secondary institutions • Summer interviews – during Summer following graduation from high school • College Enrollment survey – conducted in fall after high school graduation; documents the number of students who actually enrolled in college • Host Quarterly Peer Learning Sessions for Grantees

17. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • New Strategies for 2007 Round of Grantmaking • Increased focus on filing the FAFSA and providing financial aid information programs – goal is for all students to be assigned a FAFSA PIN by December 1 and complete the FAFSA by March 1 • Prepare students for college with a rigorous curriculum in high school • Promotion of Early College opportunities – increased exposure to opportunities for high school students to take college courses and receive college (and possibly high school) credit • Local match requirement – build sustainability into funding strategy in years three and four to promote sustaining the good work beyond the life of the grant • Data tracking – using online student college search and application assistance product to assist with data tracking and analysis - information in the aggregate can make it hard to understand which particular students need intervention

18. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • New Strategies for 2007 Round of Grantmaking • Increase parental engagementin the college-going process • Annual presentation to local School Board – inform leadership about higher education enrollment • MELMAC U – intensive professional development for planning grant recipients and other grantees

19. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Required Activities for 2007 Round of Grantmaking • by grade

20. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Structure of 2007 Round of Grantmaking

21. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Eligible Applicants • Any Maine high school, public or private • Including any current or former 2003 MELMAC high school grantee • A higher education institution with at least one high school partner • Any Maine non-profit with at least one high school partner • Any Maine civic or community organization with at least one high school partner • Any Maine career and technical center • Please note, an individual high school or career and technical center can only be part of one grant application.

22. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Timeline

23. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Restrictions • The Foundation is open to any proposal meeting the organizational criteria listed and that follows the proposal outline format. • The Foundation generally does not fund capital equipment purchases. • Grant funds cannot be used to finance scholarships or pay existing debts. • A high school can only be part of one proposal submission.

24. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Planning Grant Application Overview • Due by 5 PM on Friday, September 28, 2007 • Summary form • High School description • Shows demographic and historic enrollment and intent to enroll in college rates • Provide statement of need and why your high school is best equipped to receive a planning grant • Lead organization – description, if applicable • Explain role and commitment of guidance director and school leadership team • If the guidance counselor is not the grant lead, please explain • Planning committee – list ALL members • Commitment to planning process • Provide planning committee meeting dates and times and tentative agenda for each meeting during the entire five month planning process • Coaches – agree to accept coach, paid by the Foundation outside the grant • Budget – show how planning grant will be spent • Attachment – IRS 501(c)3 determination letter, if not public high school • Signatures • If all signatures are not provided, application will not be complete

25. Connect Aspirations to a Plan – Key Facts • Important Dates for • Successful Planning Grant Applicants