Officials with the Spokane R-VII School District announced it has been selected to participate in the Missouri Postsecondary Advising Initiative, a statewide effort to place trained advisors into high schools, alongside current school counselors, to provide students with individualized college and career preparation support.
"Participating in the Missouri Postsecondary Advising Initiative is a wonderful opportunity for our students. We are eager to add a college and career advisor to focus on preparing our students for success after their time in the Spokane R-VII District," Dr. Della Bell-Freeman, superintendent at Spokane said.
A college and career advisor coupled with a school counselor will allow the Spokane School District to better meet students' needs during what has been a very challenging time in education and for the rest of the world.
The Missouri Postsecondary Advising Initiative was launched in fall 2021 by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and rootEd Missouri, a partnership between philanthropic organization rootEd Alliance and Ozarks Technical Community College. The three-year initiative, which is funded by congressionally-allocated COVID relief dollars, aims to ensure all high school students have an advisor exclusively focused on helping them achieve success following graduation. This is particularly true for students in rural communities, as research shows they are less likely than their peers for urban or suburban schools to enroll in colleges, and they are less likely to finish and graduate with degrees.
Schools were selected based on their ability to demonstrate needs in their schools and in their communities, COVID impact in the community and geography.
Selected high schools will now hire dedicated college and career advisors ahead of the 2022-2023 school year. These advisors will support students’ postsecondary pursuits by:
-Developing and implementing individualized plans for postsecondary education and training;
-Identifying opportunities to secure financial aid, including completing the FAFSA;
-Supporting students as they work to enroll in college, earn a workplace credential, and/or enlist in the armed services; and
-Coaching students through the transition from high school to lifelong success.
Schools and advisors will receive operational support and ongoing training from rootEd Missouri. You can learn more at http://rootedalliance.org/missouri-postsecondary-advising-initiative-resources.
