College Matters: Reversing the Trend grant helps district better support students
In September 2024, Franklin Township Community School Corporation received a $1.5 million grant through Assuntos universitários, a two-phase, $14 million initiative of the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to increase college enrollment rates for Marion County high schoolers.
Franklin Township’s College Matters: Reversing the Trend grant supports the district’s activities related to college and career counseling, financial awareness and financial aid, and academic preparation.
“We’ve been able to very rapidly grow our success versus seeing effects trickle over time,” said Amy Vastag, Assistant Principal for the College & Career Readiness Center at FCHS.
Over the course of just one school year, Franklin Central High School experienced a 14 percentage point increase in FAFSA completion and a 20 percentage point increase in dual credit attainment.
Prior to receiving the Assuntos universitários grant, FCHS students’ postsecondary readiness plans consisted of an individual conversation with their counselor, discussing questions such as, “What are your career goals, or what do you think you want to do after college?” Follow-up was difficult, as each counselor managed a caseload of 400 students. It put the burden on students to ask for more resources, and Vastag said those who most needed help often wouldn’t ask for it.
O Assuntos universitários grant allowed Franklin Township to hire staff for the CCR Center, which provides advising focused on students’ postsecondary goals and opportunities.
“We want every student to have a plan when they graduate so that they know when they walk out the door what their next step is,” said Gretchen Brooks, Director of Counseling Services at FCHS. “For some students, that’s easy. They’ve applied to college. They know they’re going. But we want every student to be able to have a plan or a resource to get to that next step.”
They’re already seeing the impact. Brooks shared a story about a student who didn’t plan to attend college but was referred to a CCR advisor and, after discussing her future, realized she could turn her passion for art into a career. She went on to apply and be admitted to a local community college.
In addition to the CCR Center, Franklin Central High School has implemented an Early College program that supports students as they complete college credits during high school and work toward earning the Indiana College Core. Early College students take courses in a cohort model to build community, receive supports related to academic and study skills, and participate in college campus visits.
One student described the program as “a great community. I built the confidence to talk to people. We’re like a family because we see each other all the time. I know all 120 kids and can walk into any room and know I have people I could talk to that are like me.”
In addition to fostering community, Franklin noted early signs of success, with Early College students experiencing improvements in grades and attendance.
Brooks and Vastag look forward to seeing the CCR Center’s impact grow. They plan to continue fostering relationships with local colleges, as campus visits and other college exposure can help students imagine their futures.
“Most people I know are not doing now what they thought they were going to do when they were 16 or 17,” Brooks said. “So, let’s say I think I’m going to go to School A, and that doesn’t work out for me. What else can I do? Our CCR Center can provide those resources for students. They can give them directions about what you can do when you leave here, if your plans perhaps change, or how to pursue those plans without giving up. You’re going to continue to go for Goal A. That’s why every school should be able to have [a CCR Center].”