Creating a sustainable college and career program is one of the most impactful ways to prepare students for life beyond high school. This guide provides actionable strategies, research-based practices, and practical steps to help educators build meaningful college and career experiences in their communities.
By implementing these strategies, schools can foster a college-going culture, close achievement gaps, and provide students with the tools they need to succeed in postsecondary education and careers. This resource includes best practices, sustainability tips, and downloadable worksheets to help counselors and educators develop a long-term, impactful program.
Laying the Foundation
Identifying Needs & Setting Measurable Goals
Use data (e.g., attendance, GPA, FAFSA completion) to assess gaps.
Establish measurable outcomes like increased college enrollment rates or student engagement.
Consider external influences:
- Political: State Department of Education policies, school board expectations.
- Community: Local job market trends, family expectations.
- Career Directives: School-mandated outcomes for college and career readiness.
- Student Interests: Career pathways, work values, and aspirations.
To help you get started, we've created a resource that will walk you through assessing your program’s needs and setting measurable goals.
Building a Dedicated Team
Sustainable programs thrive when responsibilities are shared. Clearly define team roles:
- Facilitator/Program Manager – Leads planning, tracks goals, ensures accountability.
- Data Manager – Analyzes student progress and program effectiveness.
- Direct Student Support – Engages with students through activities and mentoring.
- Communications Coordinator – Documents progress and creates outreach materials.
- Stakeholders – Includes local businesses, colleges, and families for broader support.
Facilitating Effective Meetings
- Establish a regular meeting schedule.
- Use structured agendas with clear objectives.
- Summarize commitments at the end of meetings to ensure accountability.
Use our sample agenda and planning activity to help structure your team meetings and set your program up for success from the start.
Key Experiences for a College-Going Culture
Defining a College-Going Culture
Make college and career readiness a school-wide expectation and introduce college and career exploration as early as 8th grade. Focus on fostering key success behaviors:
- 90%+ school attendance
- 2.8+ GPA
- Enrollment in rigorous coursework
Designing Key Student Experiences
Ensure every student engages meaningfully at each grade level with activities such as:
- College campus visits & career site tours
- Job shadowing & mentorship programs
- FAFSA and scholarship workshops
- Resume building and interview preparation
- Internships, apprenticeships, and research projects
Engage Families & Strengthen Community Partnerships
- Conduct workshops to educate families on college admissions and career pathways.
- Collaborate with local businesses and higher education institutions to provide mentorship, internships, and funding opportunities.
Resources
Explore our collection of ready-to-use lesson plans, family engagement guide, and student resources to bring your college and career program to life:
Securing Resources & Ensuring Sustainability
Funding Strategies
- Grants: Research federal, state, and local education grants.
- Budget Advocacy: Demonstrate ROI and alignment with school improvement plans.
- Community Partnerships: Work with local nonprofits, PTAs, and businesses to secure funding and in-kind resources.
Leveraging School Resources
- Common Core Integration: Embed college essay writing, career research, and financial literacy in English and social studies curricula.
- Advisory Periods: Incorporate structured college and career lessons into advisory courses.
- Electives & CTE Alignment: Offer courses such as “College & Career Readiness” and collaborate with Career & Technical Education (CTE) instructors.
Time & Volunteer Strategies
- After-School Programs: Provide dedicated time for students to explore postsecondary options.
- Summer Bridge Programs: Partner with colleges for transition programs.
- Volunteer Engagement: Invite local professionals, alumni, and community leaders to mentor students.
Ready to secure funding for your program? Download our grant writing tips guide packed with strategies to strengthen your proposals and find new funding sources.
Measuring Success
Assessing Impact
To sustain a successful program, embed assessment into every stage of implementation. Key data sources include:
Student Destination Data
- Use Encourage for Educators to collect student aspirations and postsecondary plans.
- Track college enrollment rates using National Student Clearinghouse (NSCH).
- Since NSCH is a paid service, consider leveraging relationships with local college admissions representatives to access aggregate enrollment data.
Academic Performance Indicators
- Use district-wide reporting tools (PowerSchool, ProgressBook, Scribbles) to track key metrics:
- GPA
- Attendance
- Enrollment in AP/IB/Honors courses
Student Sentiment & Self-Reflection
- Conduct pre- and post-program surveys to measure confidence, career knowledge, and postsecondary preparedness.
Celebrating Success & Driving Program Improvements
Recognize student achievements publicly (awards, social media, newsletters).
Share success stories with school leadership and community stakeholders.
Review data annually to refine program goals and secure ongoing funding.
We've created an activity to help you reflect on your impact and celebrate program achievements—essential steps for continuous improvement.
Putting It All Together
Building a sustainable college and career readiness program is a long-term investment in student success. By fostering a college-going culture, establishing key experiences, securing necessary resources, and implementing ongoing assessment, schools can create pathways that support all students in achieving their postsecondary goals.
Whether your students choose college, trade school, military service, or direct entry into the workforce, providing them with structured guidance and resources empowers them to make informed decisions about their future.
This toolkit serves as a roadmap to help counselors and educators take actionable, research-backed steps toward closing opportunity gaps and preparing students for lifelong success.
Further Reading
- AASA (n.d.). National college and career readiness indicators.
- Mishkind, A. & College & Career Readiness & Success Center: American Institutes for Research. (2014). Overview: State definitions of college and career readiness.
- National Career Development Association. (2004). National career development guidelines framework.
- NACE. (2022). Career readiness: Development and validation of the NACE career readiness competencies.
- Perna, L. W. (2015). Improving college access and completion for low-income and first-generation students: The role of college access and success programs.
- Swail, W., & Perna, L. (2002). Pre-College Outreach Programs: A National Perspective. In Increasing Access to College (pp. 15–34). State University of New York.
