Postsecondary Equity Network institutional administrators and practitioners are invited to a one-day leadership institute with Dr. Kaye Monk-Morgan, President and CEO of the Kansas Leadership Center. The session will focus on “Your Leadership Edge.” Participation is by invitation only. For more information, contact Trent Ball.
MOCAN
The New FAFSA: Summer Support is Available!
As the 2024-2025 FAFSA season stretches into the summer, Missouri FAFSA submissions are down about 15% versus last year. This means there are about 5,000 fewer high school seniors who have completed a FAFSA this year.
How many students can we help complete their FAFSA this summer so they can enroll in college this fall?
MOCAN and organizations across the state are offering FREE summer support for students and their families as they continue to finalize postsecondary plans this summer due to the delayed FAFSA.
Click the button below to find the list of schools/organizations providing support, including details about their support services. This list will be kept updated throughout the summer.
FAFSA Summer Support Spreadsheet
If your school or organization is hosting summer support programming, please complete this form to have your event details added.
Have questions? Visit MOFAFSA.org to find answers to your FAFSA questions!
Why Summer Supports Matter: Drive FAFSA Completion, Combat Melt
Read more from our colleagues at NCAN about why summer supports matter and resources for your planning efforts.
Supporting Adult Learners
Missouri has set an ambitious goal for 60% of adults ages 25 to 64 to attain a certificate or degree beyond a high school diploma by 2030. Missouri currently stands at just over 50%. For Black, Hispanic and rural students, the gaps are far wider. Only 31.9% of Black adults have earned a degree. The percentage is 35% of Hispanic adults and just 30.8% for those living in rural communities.
To reach 60% will take bold action – and a focus on adult learners. This includes adults who have some college credit, those who seek to upskill, or those looking to enroll in postsecondary education for the first time.
MOCAN is pleased to partner with the Missouri Department of Higher Education & Workforce Development, Education Strategy Group, and colleagues across the state who are part of the Adult Learner Network to develop a strategic plan to focus our efforts to support adult learners. Among the strategies: targeted financial aid, navigation supports, providing credit for prior learning, and building upon Missouri’s strong track record of apprenticeship.
Read the Report:
Thanks to everyone who helped to create the plan, Sixty for All: A Roadmap to Equitable Postsecondary Attainment for Adult Missourians, including Missouri Scholarship & Loan Foundation and the Lumina Foundation who provided support to make it possible.
FAFSA Soft Launch
On December 31st, Federal Student Aid started a soft launch of the 2024-2025 FAFSA form.
During the soft launch, the form will be available periodically while Federal Student Aid monitors site performance. Learn more about the soft launch on the Federal Student Aid website. https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-support
It could be frustrating to try to complete the FAFSA this week. Be patient and check back regularly for updates.
MOCAN will provide updates at our FAFSA website at MOFAFSA.org and on our social media channels.
Making Community College Navigation Easier through Guided Pathways
“Students bring innate talent and drive, but colleges unwittingly stifle them in so many ways.” – Dr. Davis Jenkins, Senior Research Scholar at the Community College Research Center, Columbia University
Inspiring students and motivating them to completion was the focus of the recent MOCAN Guided Pathways Summer Institute held in partnership with Complete College America and Missouri Community College Association.
Guided Pathways is a movement to streamline the student experience in college, providing structured support, clear communications, and career opportunities. When implemented holistically, guided pathways shows strong results in completion, including for BILPOC students.
Among the takeaways:
- The key is more effectively building relationships – with students, and with colleagues across institutional departments.
- Guided pathways is a cultural shift. It’s critical to have faculty working with staff.
- Breaking down institutional jargon is essential. Start with a student-friendly website.
- Students are focused on the end goal. They don’t want a lot of choices, they want options aligned with their career pathway but we have to structure them that way.
- Advisers need to be intentional in their career conversations, integrating academics and opportunities for work experience.
- There is opportunity to align career pathways at community colleges with the career clusters used in K-12 schools. There is also opportunity to connect students with registered youth apprenticeships.
- This is iterative work; there is no end point.
Special thanks to our presenters and planning committee:
- Nikolas Huot, Complete College America
- Dr. Davis Jenkins, Community College Research Center
- David Hewkin, Missouri Dept. of Higher Education & Workforce Development
- Dr. Perry Gorrell, Missouri Dept. of Elementary & Secondary Education
- Dr. Feleccia Moore-Davis, St. Louis Community College
- Dr. Robyn Walter, East Central College
- Dr. Drew Wilkerson, Metropolitan Community College
- Dr. Devin Miles, St. Charles Community College
Centering Value in Postsecondary Education
Postsecondary credentials are the proven path towards economic mobility, but recent polls show public perceptions of the value of postsecondary education are waning. Earlier this month, MOCAN hosted the “Centering Value in Postsecondary Education: An Action Agenda from the Postsecondary Value Commission” webinar in partnership with the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) to learn how institutions and other stakeholders can address student concerns.
IHEP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit research, policy, and advocacy organization committed to promoting postsecondary access and success for all students, with a focus on students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and other historically marginalized populations. Colleagues from across MOCAN’s three networks participated in the session led by Eleanor Eckerson Peters, Associate Director of Research and Policy and Janiel Santos, Research Analyst.
According to the report of the national Postsecondary Value Commission, students experience postsecondary value when provided equitable access and support to complete quality, affordable credentials that offer economic mobility and prepare them to advance racial and economic justice in our society. There were three key takeaways shared by the presenters: 1) The equitable value movement is about fulfilling higher education’s promise; 2) Everyone has a critical role to play in delivering equitable postsecondary value; and 3) The equitable value movement is leading to tangible shifts in programs and policies. Postsecondary Equity Network (PEN) partners can access the recording and materials in the PEN Portal.
