By: Nycole Stawinoga, Program Manager, Research and Communications, ACT Center for Equity in Learning
On Tuesday, American University School of Education launched its Center for Postsecondary Readiness and Success (CPRS). The launch event featured a conversation between newly named inaugural director Dr. Laura Owen and the legendary Dr. Johnnetta Betsch Cole. This discussion was a powerful moment with stories by both women that reflected on their education experiences and touched on themes including education inequity, privilege, implicit bias, and the importance of mentors.
ACT Center for Equity in Learning’s Chief Officer, Jim Larimore, was named to the Advisory Board, along with 20 other prominent education and business leaders. CPRS will focus on reducing gaps in college access, attainment, and completion and growing a prepared and trained workforce. Its specific goals include:
- Identify a common set of practitioner competencies needed to effectively guide and support students on their postsecondary path
- Dissect school and community-based factors that influence and contribute to the current gaps and barriers for postsecondary attainment
- Identify and dismantle school-based systems, policies, and practices that hinder equitable postsecondary opportunities
- Reimagine, reframe, and conduct interdisciplinary research to unpack effective counseling practices that support equitable student postsecondary exploration, and planning
- Publish practitioner, family, and student friendly reports to disseminate knowledge, provide tools and increase exposure to foster replication of evidence based practices
ACT Center for Equity in Learning is thrilled to be a part of CPRS and looks forward to continued work with Dr. Owen and CPRS to help close equity gaps for underserved students.