Agenda Item
a. Renewal: College AIM, INC. (Not to exceed $140,000) ~ Updated 8.7.2024
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Kishia K. Towns, Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the Letter of Agreement between College AIM, INC., and the DeKalb County School District (DCSD), for an additional year for an amount not to exceed $140,000. The contract renewal is through June 30, 2025, and will be in accordance with the existing fee structure provided in the vendor’s service agreement. This request supports Strategic Goal Area 1 Student Academic Success with Equity and Access.
Why: The DeKalb County School District’s Strategic Plan Goal Area I Student Success with Equity and Access prioritizes graduating students who are ready to thrive in college, career, military, and life. DCSD is committed to students who have historically been underserved in the traditional public education system by providing the post-secondary readiness support and services they need. Through a partnership with College AIM, INC., students will benefit from a flexible, non-traditional approach to earning their high school diploma and/or vocational certification. Additionally, more than $1 million will be awarded to DCSD students and alums in the 2024-2025 school year through College AIM-specific and partnered scholarships.
Details: College AIM guides and supports high school students to and through college, including technical college, two-year colleges and four-year institutions, by (among other things) running workshops to help students explore and connect to post-secondary opportunities, providing individual post-secondary advising, taking students on college visits, counseling students regarding financial, academic and social support services through college graduation, and providing scholarships and access to scholarship opportunities.
College AIM will provide total school “post-secondary prep” programming at McNair, Stone Mountain, Towers, Cross Keys, and Lithonia High Schools. Programming will include both Access (during high school) and Success (post-graduate) support for students.
To reach the students outlined above, College AIM would place a team consisting of one Post-secondary Access Coach, one Post-secondary Success Coach and at least one Program Specialist at each of the five partner schools. There, the team would work closely with school-based and district personnel including administrators, counselors, teachers, post-secondary transition specialists and the Office of Student Advancement to coordinate programming. Programming would include both Access (during high school) and Success (post-graduate) support for students.
Access Programming (during high school, to support post-secondary enrollment) will include:
College Prep Workshops - for 9th-11th grade students.
Individual Post-secondary Advising - for all 12th grade students and FAFSA support.
Local, state-wide, and out-of-state college visits - for 9th through 12th grade students,
Scholarships - including the CAPS Scholarship, Goucher/College AIM Scholarship, BLEST Scholarship, Genevieve Ramsey Scholarship, DeKalb Alphas Scholarship and Dell Scholarship
College Admit Day - College fair with free applications and on-the-spot acceptances and scholarship awards.
College 101 - Series of workshops for 12th grade students.
Signing Day - Celebration for all students from partner high schools who are enrolling in post-secondary education programs.
Success (post-graduate, to support post-secondary matriculation, graduation, and career success):
Summer Melt Prevention - Intensive student outreach and tracking in June and July to ensure that students enroll in college.
Financial Support - Access to College AIM’s emergency and enrollment assistance funds.
Individual Skill-based Success Coaching - for students in their first postgraduate year.
Daily Office Hours - Virtual support with academic, social, and financial challenges
Career Coaching - Workshops for our college students on a variety of topics.
Financial impact: The total budget of $140,000 for the College AIM program will be allocated from Purchased Professional and Technical Services:
Account Code: 100.1000.530000.03111.7370.9990.8010.090.0000
Contact: Dr. Kishia K. Towns, Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678-676-1811
Christopher Key, Executive Director of Student Advancement, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678-485-9544
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by General Counsel
2023-2024 Impact Data
As of 7/16/24
Pursuing Postsecondary Education
Workforce Military College AIM also serves
7
CLASS OF 2024 200 all 9th-11th grade
426 Seniors Enrolled
33 students at our partner
150 high schools, reaching
(334 pursuing 10
5
postscondary education) more than 2,500 DCSD
100 20 17
students in 23-24.
50 91 89 154
0
Towers McNair Stone Mtn
College Enrollment Scholarship & Grant FAFSA
Confirmation Offers Completion
Students who have confirmed Total scholarship & grant dollars Students who have completed
enrollment with their college offered to College AIM students the 23-24 FAFSA
66% $31.6 74%
Million
79.3% 77.3%
71.2% 72.7% $12.7 M 62.8%
$11 M
51.4%
$7.9 M
Towers McNair Stone Towers McNair Stone Towers McNair Stone
Mountain Mountain Mountain
Sources: Student confirmation emails, Sources: Financial aid award letters and Source: College AIM coach reports and
college reports scholarship award letters Federal Student Aid (FSA)
Additional Information: Additional Information: Additional Information:
Students confirm enrollment via an Scholarship offers include College National FAFSA Completion: 46.6%
enrollment deposit or completing an AIM-specific scholarships such as the Low-income FAFSA Rate: 45.5%
intent to enroll form with their CAPS Scholarship, and other external Georgia FAFSA Rate: 47.8%
college. awards such as 5 Strong, Dream.US,
Dell, Posse, Zell Miller and more.
Data is collected by College AIM coaches at each school site and reviewed by College AIM leadership prior to reporting.
2023-2024 Output Data
As of 7/16/24
College List College Financial Analysis
Creation Applications Meetings
Students who created match & Students who have applied to Students who have completed
fit-based lists with College AIM college a financial analysis meeting
99% 97% 67%
98% 100% 98% 77% 75%
97% 97% 97%
45%
Towers McNair Stone Towers McNair Stone Towers McNair Stone
Mountain Mountain Mountain
Sources: College AIM coach reports and
Sources: College AIM coach reports Source: College AIM coach reports
data from partner colleges
Additional Information: Additional Information: Additional Information:
Lists created by student and coach Applications include Technical Financial analysis meetings provide
collectively Certificate and Associate and students and families with a
Bachelor’s Degree programs complete cost analysis for all
postsecondary education options
2024-2025 Targets
60% Enroll in 65% FAFSA $50 Million in
Impact Postsec Education Completion Scholarship &
Goals Programs Rate Grant Offers
Output 90% Create Match
90% of Seniors
60% of Seniors
& Fit-Based Complete Financial
Goals College Lists
Apply to College
Analysis Meetings