The recent article published on The74million.org, “Giving Parents Information Helps Them Choose the Best Schools for Their Kids. How 3 Data-Sharing Tools Are Working for NY Families” has great ideas about the information parents and guardians can use to help guide them in their search for the right high school for their teens.
In it, Peter Sloane, chairman, and CEO of the Heckscher Foundation for Children writes about his organization’s experience providing different data to parents in an effort to help them make an informed decision about different high schools in New York. But we believe the three types of information that he discusses are universally important for decision-makers everywhere:
- High school graduation rates
- Financial aid application completion
- College completion rates linked back to the high school level
Finding schools with strong graduation rates is critical. What is considered a strong graduation rate? Sloane recommends at least 70 percent. He goes on to explain that they also “… looked at financial aid application completion rates. Consider that 90 percent of high school seniors who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — FAFSA — go on to college immediately after graduation, compared with just 55 percent who do not.” Obviously, FAFSA completion can be a strong indicator of potential college enrollment!
Although enrollment into college is important, we know the graduating from college is usually the ultimate goal. From multiple studies conducted by the Urban Institute, we know that a child participating in scholarship programs like the ones that AAA administers – for even as little as three years – has a positive correlation with them enrolling in, and ultimately graduating from, college.
We understand that it’s not easy for busy parents and guardians to choose the best educational fit for their children so we hope that this information is helpful to you. Please let us know some other data points that you’ve found to be helpful so that we can all become better at this tough but important work!