DESE Commissioner’s weekly update:
JFYNetWorks receives $1 mm grant for statewide college readiness program
JFYNetWorks (formerly Jobs for Youth) has received a $1 million grant to establish collaborative partnerships between high schools and community colleges. JFYNetWorks will set up and manage Accuplacer preparation programs in high schools to accelerate and encourage enrollment into credit-bearing courses at community colleges and other colleges and universities. Interested high schools and community colleges should contact JFYNetWorks Executive Director Gary Kaplan at (617) 338-0815, ext. 224 or go to http://www.JFYBoston.org.
Million Dollar Opportunity
JFYNetWorks has an unprecedented opportunity to make a decisive impact on remedial education in Massachusetts colleges. A new $1 million state grant gives JFY seed funding to establish collaborative partnerships between high schools and community colleges throughout the Commonwealth based on the successful JFYNet model.
JFYNetWorks has been setting up and managing high school-based college readiness courses based on the Accuplacer since 2011. (The agency’s online MCAS courses date back to 2000.) JFY administers the Accuplacer diagnostics, enrolls students in a customized online curriculum, works with teachers to monitor student progress throughout the year, and administers the Accuplacer placements at the end. Passing scores are sent directly to community colleges or state universities. Avoiding developmental courses saves students money and time. Over 60% of entering community college students—12,000 students each year—are assigned to non-credit remedial courses because of low scores on the Accuplacer. 90% of these “developmental” students drop out without a degree. JFY has helped students eliminate more than 1200 developmental courses and save over $630,000 in tuition and fees (see chart.)
JFYNetWorks will set up and manage Accuplacer preparation programs in high schools to accelerate and encourage enrollment into credit-earning courses at community colleges and other colleges and universities. Interested high schools or community colleges should contact executive director Gary Kaplan at 617-338-0815 x 224 or go to www.JFYBoston.org.
JFYNetWorks is a Boston-based non-profit provider of blended learning programs to high schools and community colleges.
