About Us

Goals of the Chattanooga Partnership for College Access and Success are to:

• Increase awareness of college and financial aid opportunities among our public school students and their parents
• Increase the percentage of public school graduates enrolling in college directly after high school
• Increase the percentage of public school graduates persisting from first to second year of college
• Close the college enrollment and persistence gap for low income and first generation college students
• Reduce the remediation rates of first year college students
• Increase the percentage of public school graduates who obtain a college degree.

In order to achieve these goals, strategic partnerships exist between the school district, higher education, community and faith-based organizations, businesses and government. Focused efforts at three Hamilton County high schools (Howard, Red Bank and Sale Creek) are providing “best practices” for other schools in the county to improve college access.

Professional development opportunities are being provided to counselors and community leaders to help them better help young people prepare for college.  Special orientation programs at Chattanooga State Community College and University of Tennessee - Chattanooga are helping high school graduates transition into college with a better chance for success.  In all areas, data is being collected and analyzed to determine successes and focus the work where it is most needed.

Because of the success of high school reform work in Hamilton County, the Public Education Foundation was approached in June 2004 by Lumina Foundation representatives regarding a new funding opportunity. Chattanooga received a planning grant to design a program to help more students have access to, and succeed in, college.

Several community workshops were held to get input on what a Partnership for College Access and Success in Hamilton County should look like, and the final grant proposal was submitted to the Lumina Foundation in January 2005.  Chattanooga/Hamilton County was one of eight sites awarded the two-year grant. Other sites include: Burlington, VT; New York, NY; Chicago, IL; San Antonio, TX; Sacramento, CA; Seattle, WA; and Milwaukee, WI.