Increasing College-Going Rates and Improving Career Preparation
CHALLENGE
Summit Public Schools, a charter school network of 14 schools in California and Washington, is one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. Backed by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Laurene Powell Job’s XQ Institute, and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and spurred by student feedback, Summit needed to develop a holistic program to help students from grades 6-12 make informed decisions about what to do after high school, be prepared for careers and college, and increase college-going rates.
SUPPORT
Amy Sandoz led a research & development team to complete a multi-year user research study of more than 150 students on the key needs a student has in making the decision on their next steps for after high school. Then, Amy led the team to design and pilot new assessments, curriculum, and instruction for more than 600 students across four school sites based on those key needs. Further, she advised senior leadership on program strategy, including positioning, growth, and change management.
RESULTS
Under Amy’s leadership, she delivered innovative new community-based summative assessments, research-based assessment tools, and a comprehensive package of career preparation and life design curriculum coupled with teacher professional development trainings. The tools are now used in all 14 Summit Public Schools sites, impacting more than 4,000 students annually.
Amy is the co-author of the “Clearing the Path” whitepaper, a field-building framework and set of tools on how schools across the United States can remove obstacles for young people as they transition from high school to college and high-paying careers.
