This report, Improving Baltimore Students’ Access to College, provides a qualitative account of the implementation of two college access support models in Baltimore City Schools. The initiative, launched in 2016-17, was developed by the College Bound Foundation, which places College Access Professionals (CAPs) in high schools where they support students as they prepare for college.
Highlighted findings of the report:
- The CAPs were a social resource for students, offering their expertise about the college landscape and supporting students in developing skills that helped them access college and financial aid.
- These supports were particularly critical for City Schools students, as many were potentially first-generation college-goers. By helping students build confidence and gain a deep understanding of the process, CAPs helped ensure that students could be successful.
- School-level factors were related to how CAPs worked with students. In particular, schools’ digital and technological capacity determined how easily students could complete college-going tasks electronically.