Thirteen Kentucky school districts will participate in statewide college success program

November 15, 2022

The Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE), the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) and OneGoal, a leading postsecondary success organization, announced that 13 Kentucky public school districts will participate in a statewide effort to receive postsecondary professional coaching at the school and district leadership levels to improve college readiness outcomes for students.

The inaugural cohort of districts includes: Allen County, Barren County, Christian County, Clark County, Cumberland County, Danville Independent, Harlan Independent, Jenkins Independent, Lincoln County, Ludlow Independent, Monroe County, Warren County and Washington County.

The multi-year project is designed to ensure equity in postsecondary advising and access, as COVID-19 resulted in college enrollment declines in Kentucky. The school districts will receive this new support from OneGoal at no cost for two years through federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds from KDE.

“Access to advising and other supports in high school is important to a student’s success in college,” said CPE President Aaron Thompson. “This effort will help close equity gaps by helping more students transition into college and earn high-quality degrees and credentials, so they are prepared to succeed in the state's workforce.”

Participating districts will complete a two-year program with OneGoal’s Postsecondary Leadership Series. OneGoal experts work with each partner district to tailor the program to their needs to achieve system-level enhancements that lead to better student outcomes.

"We are excited about this new partnership with CPE and OneGoal,” said Commissioner of Education Jason E. Glass. “We have been looking at ways to spend our ESSER funding that will have a real impact on the future success of our public school students. Giving these districts that one-on-one support so their students are more prepared for what comes after high school will have a lasting impact on our students’ futures.”

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in two years of undergraduate enrollment declines in Kentucky. However, CPE released new data showing that total preliminary undergraduate enrollment at the state’s public colleges and universities held steady from fall 2021 to fall 2022, an encouraging sign after the volatility during the pandemic.

“Kentucky has laid the groundwork to take their postsecondary outcomes to the next level,” said OneGoal Chief Impact Office Patty Diaz-Andrade. “The state is truly a vanguard in this arena, demonstrating their commitment not only to students, but to entire communities that will benefit from more talent development through higher education and career pathways. OneGoal is proud to work alongside our partners in achieving these goals.”

The application period for school districts in Kentucky ended in August. However district leaders and staff may reach out through OneGoal’s website to stay informed about future opportunities.