Introduction
High-school students’ needs are not confined to scoring well during tests or examinations and gaining sufficient knowledge to enter a higher educational establishment or starting their professional lives. This population requires assistance in choosing their future path since many teenagers have difficulties with choosing a college. The collaboration involving the school, the community, and students can be instrumental in helping young people to resolve this issue (Epstein, 2018). This paper includes a brief analysis of the possible ways to facilitate the enrollment of Crosby High School students in colleges.
Students’ Needs
The needs of Crosby High School students are quite manifold, but it is clear that the area of major concern is their further studies. The educational establishment understudy serves diverse populations including white (48%), Hispanic (32%), Black (17%), and other minorities (3%) students (“Crosby High School,” 2018). It is noteworthy that 37% of the students come from economically disadvantaged families (“Crosby High School,” 2018).
Yull, Blitz, Thompson, and Murray (2014) note that families of color have to face various issues, which affects the way they see the prospects of high school and college education. As for students’ academic achievements, the average test scores are similar to state and district average (76% in Mathematics and 60% in Reading) (“Crosby High School,” 2018). The college readiness index is rather low (12.5), which shows that students are unlikely to seek further academic opportunities.
Measures to Undertake
The school undertakes certain steps to encourage students to pursue their academic goals and enter higher educational establishments. However, these efforts are insufficient especially when it comes to underserved populations. According to the school’s academic plan, some dual credit courses are available, and educators try to motivate students to study hard and use this opportunity, which can have a positive impact on young people’s future (“Crosby High School 2019-2020,” 2018).
Jones (2014) states that dual credit courses are associated with better results during the first college years. The creation of strong partnerships between the school, community, and parents can be instrumental in motivating students to enter colleges after their school graduation (Lukes, 2014). Therefore, it can be necessary to pay more attention to this area.
As far as the collaboration with parents is concerned, it is crucial to make sure that these stakeholders have all the necessary data. It is rather common that parents do not encourage their children to go to college since they believe they cannot afford it. Many adults do not think education is worth the efforts and the funds spent, and their children tend to share their views (Yull et al., 2014). Educators should communicate with parents and make sure that the latter will be responsible and try to motivate their children to gain higher education or choose their career path wisely. The community should be more engaged in the process through the involvement of different players.
For example, local businesses can shed light on some of their operations by launching tours or even interventions similar to an apprenticeship for high-schoolers. Lectures for high-school students given at some educational establishments can also be instrumental in fostering students’ desire to continue their academic life.
Conclusion
On balance, it is possible to note that Crosby High School students are not sufficiently informed and encouraged to pursue their academic goals. The collaboration between the school, community, and parents can help young people to acknowledge the benefits of higher education. Discussions, specific courses, excursions, lectures, and some kinds of apprenticeships should be available to students especially when it comes to underprivileged populations. Students will be willing to enter a college, which will also have a positive impact on their academic performance at school.
References
Crosby High School. (2018). Web.
Crosby High School 2019-2020: Academic planning guide. (2018). Web.
Epstein, J. L. (2018). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools. New York, NY: Routledge.
Jones, S. (2014). Student participation in dual enrollment and college success. Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 38(1), 24-37.
Lukes, L. A. (2014). Considerations and recommendations for implementing a dual-enrollment program: Bridging the gap between high school and college-level science. Journal of College Science Teaching, 44(1), 17-22.
Yull, D., Blitz, L. V., Thompson, T., & Murray, C. (2014). Can we talk? Using community-based participatory action research to build family and school partnerships with families of color. School Community Journal, 24(2), 9-32.