NCRERN Newsletter: Winter 2022
We hope you are doing well and staying warm this winter! In this newsletter, we will share how we are supporting the implementation of this year’s postsecondary readiness interventions, and the inspiration behind the postsecondary readiness and entry topics we’ll be working on in the 22-23 school year. We will also welcome the 11 new NY districts who have joined our network and encourage you to spread the word about additional NCRERN spots available to qualifying NY and OH rural districts.
Postsecondary Readiness Interventions Implementation Support
Throughout the fall, NCRERN has sought to provide deeper support for districts as they take on the challenge of implementing two intensive postsecondary readiness interventions: Student Success Planning and Career Exposure. Throughout the year, NCRERN network managers have gathered feedback and provided support to districts during small group check-ins in which representatives from multiple districts share progress and advice. We also conducted focus groups and interviews with staff and students during virtual site visits with seven partner districts to gain a deeper understanding of districts’ successes and challenges.
At the end of January, we held our inaugural Mid-Year Implementation Meeting, a network-wide event in which we shared out findings from the site visits and overall themes we have heard throughout our check-ins with districts. Districts spent time in the meeting reflecting on their own challenges and brainstorming actionable improvements to make in the final semester of implementation. Our next big event related to the 2021-22 postsecondary readiness pilots will be in June, when we will share pilot results with our districts.
2022-23 Postsecondary Readiness & Entry Pilots
During NCRERN’s annual Convening later this month, NCRERN districts will begin the continuous improvement cycle to plan pilots for the 2022-23 school year that will focus on postsecondary readiness (PSR) and postsecondary entry (PSE). The intervention options in both topic areas will address the toll the pandemic has taken on our schools and students. In selecting these options, we consulted our districts, national and NCRERN network data on the impact of the pandemic, and the evidence base of interventions in these areas.
Postsecondary Readiness (PSR)
NCRERN’s second round of postsecondary readiness (PSR) interventions will target 9th graders. Interventions will either focus on supporting students socially and academically in school or focus specifically on providing math (Algebra I) support. Our partner districts have cited the need for assistance in reengaging students after students have faced constantly changing learning environments and instability brought on by the pandemic. Many reports (74 Million, McKinsey, and Curriculum Associates) reveal that students are behind in math compared to pre-pandemic levels. These gaps are especially jarring for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have fallen much further behind than their peers.
Postsecondary Entry (PSE)
The postsecondary entry intervention options seek to assist 12th grade students in transitioning to college and career pathways after high school. At the postsecondary entry-level, national reports have cited an accelerated decline in college enrollment compared to pre-pandemic years. The impact of this decline is largely seen at community colleges and public universities, the types of institutions that the majority of NCRERN districts’ students typically attend. On top of a decrease in enrollment, there has been a 5% decrease in FAFSA completion from the 2020 to 2021 school years (NCAN). Counselors in our partner districts described how overwhelmed students can get as they complete the various steps to enroll in their postsecondary pathway, and that these challenges have been exacerbated as students readjust to schooling after (and amidst) school closures. As a result, we decided to focus the postsecondary entry intervention options on supporting students through the milestones they need to complete to enroll in college as well as pursue other types of postsecondary pathways, including going into the workforce or military.
Intervention Option Selection
Districts will select the specific PSR and PSE interventions they will implement during the 22-23 school year during NCRERN’s Convening, which takes place March 14th-18th. We look forward to announcing the interventions in our spring newsletter!
Welcoming New NCRERN Districts and Recruiting New NCRERN Districts
Lastly, we look forward to welcoming 11 new districts this spring to NCRERN! These new districts hail from Upstate New York adding to the different regional representation of our existing rural research network. We look forward to continuing our recruitment efforts this spring and expanding our current rural research networks in New York and Ohio. If you know of any districts that may be interested in joining NCRERN, please refer them to this brief application.
We hope that you will engage with NCRERN by visiting our website, reaching out to us at NCRERN@gse.harvard.edu, or forwarding this newsletter to someone interested in rural education.
With warm regards,
Jenn