The grant will go to the College Board, which will help the communities develop the programs.
“Guidance counselors have great influence on many of the life-changing choices students make, yet counselors have traditionally received little support,” said M. Christine De Vita, president of the fund. “We are committed to changing that.”
The program, modeled after a pilot program in the Fort Worth Independent School District, will be aimed at increasing the college-enrollment rates of low-income and minority students.
In addition to Fort Worth, the other districts involved are Milwaukee; Davidson County (Nashville), Tenn.; Prince George’s County, Md.; Providence, R.I.; and in San Jose, Calif., the San Jose Unified School District and the East Side Union High School District.
In all, more than 350 guidance counselors responsible for more than 400,000 students will receive training.
That training will cover three activities:
- Summer institutes, designed to boost early awareness of college opportunities, will focus on providing counseling to students who come from populations that traditionally do not attend college. Topics include financial and academic preparation, course selection, test taking, understanding diversity, and working with teachers and parents.
- Resource centers, staffed by volunteers, will include materials on financial aid, academic preparation and college-admission requirements, and test preparation.
- Locally developed student-support programs will include mentors and tutors, business and community involvement, and connections with higher-education institutions.
The program will go into effect during the 1991-1992 academic year.--mp
