Graduation Pathways Project

Our Work

The Graduation Pathways Project began in summer 2013 to widely engage education agencies, school leaders, and civic partners to act on a shared vision that every student – no matter how far off track they may be – has a path to graduation.

Under the banner of Raise DC, the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education (DME), the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), DC Public Schools (DCPS), the DC Public Charter School Board (PCSB) and individual public charters collaborated to produce the 2014 Graduation Pathways Report – DC's first detailed assessment of our citywide high school graduation rate. The report was released in September 2014 at the first Graduation Pathways Summit, catalyzing local systems-level and school-based leaders around a common set of data and focusing Raise DC’s current collective efforts to support school success in four critical areas:

  1. Fortifying transitions from 8th through 9th grades: Through Raise DC’s 9th Grade Counts Network, partners have launched and scaled a cross-local education agency (LEA) Bridge to High School Data Exchange – a standardized process for ensuring essential early warning information is transferred quickly, automatically, and consistently as students enroll in 9th grade. Partners are also working together to improve school capacity to use and act on this data.

  2. Expanding access to timely credit recovery options for off-track students: PCSB, DCPS, and LEAs are exploring opportunities to maximize student access to credit recovery across the city, regardless of where they enroll.

  3. Designing and expanding the supply of educational options for off-track students and those who have dropped out: In partnership with DME, OSSE, DCPS, PCSB, and individual charter schools, Raise DC conducted a Supply & Demand Gap Analysis to inform the strategic expansion of educational options for students who are severely off track or who have dropped out, specifically working on "pre-credential" pathways for older students with low academic skills.

  4. Advancing a "no wrong door" data infrastructure to ease the challenges for students to research educational options, reconnect, and re-enroll: Under OSSE’s leadership, District education, workforce, human services agencies and adult/youth-serving schools are collaborating to ease the challenges for students to research educational options, reconnect, and re-enroll.

Underpinning these multiple efforts is stakeholder voice, which provides a critical lens to better understand local data and the opportunities for impact. Raise DC accomplishes this by:

GOALS TIED TO THIS WORK

THE GRADUATION PATHWAYS PROJECT'S COLLECTIVE RESEARCH AND ACTION ARE POSSIBLE DUE TO THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE FOLLOWING PARTNERS:


Graduation Pathways Project Executive Team:

Additional Partners:

VPP + Raise DC
is now Youth
Invest Partners

In June of 2000, Venture Philanthropy Partners opened it doors, spurred by the efforts of three founders who asked themselves,
“Could the business world provide a different, innovative approach to social change?”

In the years that followed, VPP quickly became a strategic hub for high-impact investments through deep and sustained partnerships with foundations, businesses, government agencies and school systems.

In April of 2020, VPP formed a strategic alliance with Raise DC to build an investment organization capable of driving alignment among communities, and nonprofit, business and regional leaders around systems change. VPP+Raise DC committed to call out and confront policies, practices and systems that contribute to racial inequity.

Today, we recognize the need to do more, be bolder, and act faster. Youth Invest Partners is a call to “dream big and do big” to drive change that will build better futures for Greater Washington youth today and in the days, months and years to come. Our new name and brand reflects energy and focus as we collaborate, innovate and transform.

Join us and learn more