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College Board

The CollegeKeys Compact

Innovation Awards Submission Form

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center is determined to make college access and success a reality for all students, including those from low-income backgrounds. The objective of the CollegeKeys Compact is to identify, share, and expand programs and practices that address the needs and challenges of low-income students and help them get ready for, get into, and get through college. Each year, 18 Compact members are eligible to receive special recognition for their innovation and effectiveness in increasing the percentage of low-income students who get ready for, get into, or get through college successfully. Winning submissions will be awarded $5,000 to help expand or sustain their program. Information about submitted practices will be posted online at www.collegeboard.org/collegekeys and shared through electronic and print publications for potential implementation at other organizations.

For more details about the CollegeKeys Innovation Awards program, please visit www.collegeboard.org/collegekeys.

Please respond to the questions below to complete Part I of your submission. After you hit "submit", you will be taken to Part II of the Innovation Awards submission form. Please complete Parts I and II in their entirety.

* Required Information

Part I

Contact Information

Is your institution/organization a member of the CollegeKeys Compact? * Yes

If not, please visit www.collegeboard.org/collegekeys to join. Only Compact members may submit effective practices and be considered for the Innovation Awards program.

Who should we contact if we have questions about this submission?

Institutional Information

What grade levels does the institution/organization serve? (Check all that apply.) *

Ungraded
Pre-K-12
K-12
K-5
6-8
9-12
2-years postsecondary
4-years postsecondary
Graduate-level studies
Other
If other, please specify:
What is the total number of students enrolled/served for this academic year?*
Which of the following best describes the institution/organization? *
If other, please specify:
Which of the following best describes the area served? *

Effective Practice Information

Getting Ready: Effective practices for getting ready are designed to ensure that more low-income students are ready to go to college when they graduate from high school. Getting Ready programs focus on academic preparation and college planning.

Getting In: Effective practices for getting in are designed to make enrollment and full participation in college life possible for low-income students. Getting In programs focus their efforts on: helping students and families understand and navigate the admissions and financial aid processes; implementing student aid that meets the financial needs of low-income students; and creating recruitment plans that use a holistic admissions evaluation process.

Getting Through: Effective practices that assist students in getting through college are intended to provide essential academic, social and emotional support. Getting Through programs highlight advising, mentoring, personal development, assessment, instruction, community support, retention, and/or transfer of low-income students.

Please select the appropriate category for your submission:*
How long did it take to develop the initiative from concept to implementation?*
How long has the initiative been in operation? *

(Please note a minimum of 12 months is required.)
How many students have benefited?*
What is the annual per-student cost to implement?*

In 300 words or less, please describe the effective practice, including its goals, the need
or challenge it seeks to address, and the target audience. *

How do you measure the success of the practice? Please provide specific, measurable
quantitative evidence to demonstrate that progress is being made toward the
initiative's goals.*

Please also provide specific, measurable qualitative evidence to demonstrate that
progress is being made toward the initiative's goals.*

What elements of the approach are particularly unique, innovative and/or effective in
expanding options for low-income students?*

Do you foresee that the initiative will still be in operation in two years? If not, why?*

Please list any collaborating organizations or partners and indicate their role and/or contribution.

Effective practices will be considered for recognition based on the following criteria:

  • Relevance: Alignment to the principles and priorities outlined in the Compact to prepare and support students and families from low-income backgrounds for college success.
  • Innovation: New, creative and sustainable strategies for addressing identified needs of students from low-income backgrounds to advance the goals of the Compact.
  • Impact: Demonstration of meaningful progress toward stated goals of the initiative through qualitative and quantitative measures.
  • Potential: Opportunity for replication and adaptation by other educators, institutions and policymakers.

Please describe how your effective practice addresses each of these criteria. *

In 200-300 words, please describe how you would use the recognition and the $5,000
award to enhance or expand on this effective practice, if selected. *

Upon submitting Part I of the Innovation Awards Submission Form, you will be directed to Part II.

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