Impact and Programs
Accomplishments
SCHOOL-BASED CAREER & COLLEGE READINESS (CCR) PROGRAMMING, SY22-23:
Our CCR Coordinators work in direct partnership with and serve as key team members on each school’s counseling team, boosting our collective capacity to strategize, set goals, and deliver core services. In terms of student engagement (i.e. the share of students reached through CCR services) SY22-23 was excellent. Compared to last year, SY21-22, Coordinators increased the share of seniors individually served by 22% and by 35% for students from all grades (9-12). As a result of this student-centered CCR support, 71% of seniors applied to college, of whom 81% applied to 2+ institutions; 52% completed the FAFSA; and 93% of seniors had an actionable plan for life after graduation.
COMMUNITY-BASED STEP UP INTERNSHIPS, SUMMER 2023:
Overall, 1,413 youth facing barriers to economic opportunities (86% BIPOC, 82% low-income, 49% first- or second-generation immigrant, 24% enrolled in special education) completed our foundational work readiness training. Of those, we placed 947 in paid internships with 111 local employers and another 390 in paid remote Career Exploration Training modules, which we offer as an optional alternative to an internship. In end-of-summer surveys, 83% of interns said they felt welcomed in their workplace, 84% that their supervisor was supportive of them, 80% that their internship was a valuable learning experience, and 77% said they intend to continue their education after high school, far exceeding the national average of 51% reported by Question the Quo in June 2023.
Current Goals
SCHOOL YEAR 2023-2024 CAREER AND COLLEGE READINESS GOALS: We will support all ~18,000 MPS and SPPS high school students attending 28 campuses through a combination of 1:1 advising and group activities (classroom lessons, workshops, etc.), mass communications (monthly college and career newsletters, social media posts highlighting opportunities, etc.), to build a future-oriented culture. 60% of seniors and 42% of all students will engage in 1:1 and small group advising with our school-based staff. 71% of seniors will apply to at least one postsecondary program, of whom 80% will apply to two or more. 57% of seniors will apply for the FAFSA; for the past three years, FAFSA completion at the schools we serve have exceeded the MN statewide average. 90% of seniors will have a plan for life after graduation
STEP UP SUMMER 2024 GOALS: 1200 BIPOC and/or low-income youth will complete our foundational Step Up Work Readiness Training. 900 low-income youth will be placed in Step Up paid internships. Step Up Interns will collectively earn $2 million to support themselves and their families and many will become eligible to receive academic credit. 80 employers will participate in Step Up by hiring interns, participating in training, and delivering high-quality jobs to our students. Employers benefit from opportunities to engage with, prepare for, and connect to the workforce of tomorrow
Community or Constituency Served
Achieve Twin Cities supports students in navigating the complex and ever-changing postsecondary and career landscape by providing school-based, student-centered advising and community-based paid internships to youth all four years of high school. We are the sole universal provider of Career and College Readiness services supporting all ~18,000 Minneapolis and Saint Paul public high school students attending 28 campuses, of whom 72% are BIPOC and 66% come from low-income households. While we serve all students, our commitment to equity means we deliberately devote more time and resources to supporting students facing the greatest barriers. For example, through our community-based Step Up internships, each year we recruit, train, and place hundreds of Minneapolis youth (90% BIPOC, 90% low-income, and 50% first- or second-generation immigrant) in career-oriented paid internships with local employers, ranging from nonprofits to Fortune 500 Companies. Step Up internships complement our school-based CCR advising, enabling us to offer students school-year advising and paid summer resume- and network-building jobs so that they develop real-world experience and refine their interests and goals as they progress through high school.
Geographic Area Served
Minneapolis-Saint Paul, MN
