Communities, from neighborhoods to cities, can play a vital role in bringing together people from all walks of life to create local solutions to the dropout crisis. To date, we have designated the following communities as Grad Nation Communities for their commitment to being part of the Alliance's Grad Nation campaign, helping move America toward becoming a nation of graduates.
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Birmingham, AL
Birmingham City Schools
Birmingham City Schools partners with a number of businesses, civic groups, government agencies, religious organizations, parents and concerned citizens to work together to provide a learning environment where young people grow, develop and find networks of support.
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Jackson, AL
Clarke County, Alabama
The Clarke County Promise Alliance was developed as a response to attendance at the First Annual Building a Grad Nation Summit in March 2011. The primary goal of the Clark County Promise Alliance is to make sure each of the four major cities/towns (Jackson, Grove Hill, Coffeeville, and Thomasville) in Clarke County begin to implement comprehensive youth services that meet America's Promise's Five Promises. The two Clarke County Promise Alliance "Promises" are; TO OUR YOUTH: "Assist each Clarke County child reach his/her potential as a healthy, educated, employed and productive member of society who contributes positively to his/her community" and TO OUR COMMUNITY: "We promise to increase Clarke County's school graduation rates annually and reduce unemployment, poverty and crime in order to create safer, more desirable and more prosperous communities in which to live."
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Mobile, AL
Mobile County
The Mobile County Education Commission's mission is to ensure that every child is prepared for entrance into college or a career upon high school graduation. This is a community-wide effort to improve the whole system of education, a systemic reform that results in improved academic achievement for all young people in Mobile. The Education Commission brings together- in a unique configuration- the county’s education, business and civic leaders to plan and effect the changes that will improve teaching and learning at all levels, from pre-kindergarten through university settings. The essence of the Education Commission is people working together: school superintendents, university and college presidents, business and community leaders, principals, teachers, and parents- an entire community recognizing and supporting high student achievement.
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Osceola, AR
Osceola
In Osceola, AR the Osceola Communication, Business, and Arts, Inc nonprofit and additional community partners are working to eliminate the number of young people who have not earned a high school diploma.
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Tucson, AZ
Pima County
As part of their commitment to Grad Nation, Tucson's efforts will be focused on three high schools in Pima County. Their goal is to get all youth in Pima County Ready by 21: Ready for College, Work and Life.
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Oakland, CA
Oakland
The goals of Oakland's Promise Alliance are to increase the graduation rate to 80% by 2020; to increase the extent by which Oakland provides all the Five Promises to its youth; to enhance youth and parent engagement; and to change policy and practice, so that Oakland youth experience joyful, safe and engaging education and community life. Currently, Oakland is focusing efforts on six high schools and their feeder patterns in West Oakland.
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Stockton, CA
San Joaquin County, CA
Beyond Our Gates represents a collaborative effort among University of the Pacific and individuals and organizations from throughout San Joaquin County, seeking ways of working together to improve the social and economic wellbeing of their region, especially through education. Initiatives of this collaborative group include: 1)The Tomorrow Project -after-school, weekend and summer academies that offer students skills, resources and sustained support in preparing for and pursuing higher education and 2)the Beyond Our Gates Community Council - an advisory body made up of local leaders representing business, education, nonprofit and other fields. The Council's purpose is to identify and implement strategies that foster relationships among individuals and organizations, and align resources toward improving the quality of life in San Joaquin County.
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Brighton, CO
City of Brighton
The City of Brighton is working towards establishing partnerships between the school and other community resources, including health and social services, youth and community development and community engagement leading to improved student learning as well as stronger families and communities.
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Norwalk, CT
Norwalk
Norwalk ACTS is an innovative and effective support network of community leaders and organizations that proactively identifies and resolves issues that impede or prevent a child’s ability to grow up healthy, safe, smart and successful at home, at school and in the community.
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Washington, DC
DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative
The District of Columbia Promise Neighborhood Initiative (DCPNI), coordinated by Cesar Chavez Public Charter Schools for Public Policy is a community effort to increase the number of children who complete their education from cradle to college, and enter adulthood as productive participants in the 21st Century economy and the civic life of their communities. DCPNI will focus on the Kenilworth-Parkside Community of Ward 7 in Washington, DC and the schools that serve this neighborhood.
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Seaford, DE
Seaford School District
The Seaford School District would like to be able to provide a community-wide effort to keep all students in school, and part of this work includes a focus on wraparound educational services and mentoring for their students.
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St. Petersburg, FL
Mayor's Mentors and More with the City of St. Petersburg and Pinellas Education Foundation
The mission of the city of St. Petersburg's Grad Nation team is to improve high school graduation rates by providing quality early learning programs in our most at risk schools, ensuring that every child has a caring adult in their life and engaging the business community by promoting corporate participation in school success.
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Tampa, FL
Tampa/Hillsborough County Florida
The collaborative efforts in Tampa/Hillsborough County, Florida are focusing on four lower performing high schools within their school district with the goal to increase Hillsborough County's high school graduation rate to 90% by 2019.
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Atlanta, GA
Metropolitan Atlanta
Atlanta’s Ready by 21 (RB21) Education Collaborative Network, lead by United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta, envisions a community where all individuals and families thrive. Atlanta's RB21 Education Collaborative Network is focusing efforts on ensuring that all youth in metro Atlanta have the resources they need to be ready by 21 for college, work and life. Their efforts to increase high school graduation rates will focus on the feeder patterns of persistently low performing schools in DeKalb, Fulton and Atlanta Public School Districts.
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Chicago, IL
SGA Youth & Family Services
This collaborative is focused on the Roseland Community and is part of the SGA Youth & Family Services' promise neighborhood planning grant. The collaborative effort is designed to develop a plan on addressing the academic infrastructure of the Rosleand Community in Chicagoland as well as develop a strategic plan for education.
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Junction City, KS
Geary County
For Geary County the mission is to provide all children with a supportive and nourishing environment in which to grow and learn. It is the goal for this community to give all children the best foundation toward success possible.
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Berea, KY
Berea College Promise Neighborhood
The Berea College Promise Neighborhood initiative is working with partners to ensure success for young people from the cradle to career. Their work focuses on academic achievement and college readiness, arts and humanities and health and wellness.
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Louisville , KY
Louisville Metro/Jefferson County Ky.
In Louisville there is a long-term targeted plan to raise education levels and create a world-class, seamless and coordinated education system that provides ample opportunities for developing creativity and critical thinking, skilled workers, engaged citizens and civic leaders. The collaborative effort here, 55,000 Degrees, has the goal to add 55,000 college graduates by 2020. As part of Grad Nation Communities, Louisville will focus on seven Jefferson County Public high schools.
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Russell, KY
Northeast Kentucky
In Northeast Kentucky, United Communities to Advance our Neighborhoods (UCAN), Inc. and a coalition of nonprofit, private, and public organizations are working to increase the graduation rates and decrease the dropout rates in Northeast Kentucky. The goals of this work are to promote positive student culture; arrange a volunteer pool of quality adults; offer afterschool programs, tutoring, and workshops; promote anti-drug choices and Super Saturday and summer camp offerings to cater to the needs and interests of young people; help with financing to provide out-of-school opportunities; and provide career exploration and college test prep to young people.
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Tyner, KY
Jackson County
The Jackson County Dropout Prevention Advisory Council was formed on January 18, 2012. Their goal is to help each child in the school system climb the ladder of life: first by being prepared to graduate from high school, then by being prepared to move on to college and career.
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New Orleans, LA
Greater New Orleans Area
The New Orleans Kids Partnership (NOKP) strives to improve and expand services to the children and youth of the Greater New Orleans Area. NOKP member organizations work in collaboration to develop, share, coordinate and leverage resources so that all children and youth reach their optimal potential. The New Orleans Kids Partnership's site-based coordinated work is focused on two K-8 schools and one high school.
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Bedford, MA
Town of Bedford
Bedford Community Partnership (BCP) coalition is composed of both members of the community (parents and residents) and providers of social services, law enforcement, businesses, spiritual leaders, elected officials, school representatives, and other interested parties involved with youth. Virtually all the many community groups involved with youth are at the BCP table monthly, actively working on ways to improve the lives of the young people living in Bedford. Members have remained committed over time and used their longevity and familiarity with the issues to persist and advocate for gaps in service.
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Malden, MA
Malden
Malden is working to establish a coalition that meets and works together to address the mulit-faceted issues creating the dropout problem in Malden. They currently have a foundational base of partnerships but believed Grad Nation and America's Promise will help to formalize and build on their existing work.
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Portland, ME
Portland Public Schools
Portland Public Schools is committed to increasing early childhood education and dropout prevention/alternative education measures to ensure that students stay in school and are well prepared for college, career, and life. As part of Grad Nation Communities, Portland Public Schools will focus their efforts to raise high school graduation rates for three high schools within their school district.
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Detroit, MI
Detroit Clark Park/Osborn Promise Neighborhoods
The vision for the collaborative focusing on the Detroit Clark Park and Osborn Promise Neighborhoods is that "all children in the Detroit Clark Park/Osborn Promise Neighborhoods will have access to excellent schools, positive youth development opportunities, graduate from high school on time, and be prepared for college without the need for remediation courses. And, families will have all the support and resources they need to make their children successful in life." The goals of this work are: (1) To build community capacity to provide resources to support youth and families; (2) To achieve a 95% on-time graduation rate with college and career plans by the year 2020; (3) Establish a pipeline of evidence-based services from cradle-to-career; (4) To design and implement a longitudinal data system, capable of tracking progress from cradle-to-career.
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Detroit, MI
Metro Detroit
United Way for Southeastern Michigan is committed to turning around high schools with graduation rates of 60% or less so that at least 80% of their students graduate and are college ready. A collaborative of funding institutions, businesses and community organizations known collectively as the Greater Detroit Educational Venture Fund is working to improve graduation rates in Detroit and surrounding communities by focusing on 30 high schools in Southeastern Michigan that currently graduate less than 60% of their students.
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River Rouge, MI
River Rouge
The River Rouge Promise Neighborhood is a holistic collaboration of community stakeholders and organizations commited to creating a culture of college and career success for all River Rouge children.
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Columbia, MO
Columbia
In Columbia, the mission of the Youth Community Coalition (YC2) is to help youth develop into productive and self-sufficient citizens by working together to decrease substance abuse and promote healthy behaviors. YC2 promotes community collaboration around issues concerning healthy choices, positive activities, education, employment, service, and the prevention of substance abuse.
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Jackson, MS
Lanier High School Feeder Pattern
Operation Shoestring leads the Lanier Feeder Pattern StampOut DropOut Prevention Coalition with the goal to help end the dropout problem and transform the quality of life of service recipients. The Coalition delivers a customized comprehensive array of wrap-around services and opportunities for children and their families in the Lanier High School feeder pattern.
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Jackson, MS
Jackson's Promise Coalition
Jackson's Promise Coalition, led by United Way of the Capital Area, envisions a community where all families are valued, supported, and given the resources they need to help their students succeed in school, work, and life. Jackson's Promise Coalition is focusing their collaborative efforts to raise high school graduation rates for three lower performing high schools and their feeder patterns.
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Moss Point, MS
Mississippi Gulf Coast Promise Zone
Jackson County Civic Action Committee (JCCAC) serves the needy of Jackson County by developing and delivering quality services that focus on human development and self-sufficiency. As part of Grad Nation Communities, JCCAC will focus on two high schools and their feeder patterns serving the cities of Moss Point and Pascagoula in Jackson County
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Stoneville, MS
Indianola Promise Community
The Indianola Promise Community Early Education Collaborative (IPCEEC) is a comprehensive effort designed to provide a solid foundation for the IPC which is based on the concepts of the Harlem Children’s Zone. The key goal of the IPCEEC is: To provide a solid foundation for up to 1200 Indianola children entering kindergarten and proceeding through the early grades.
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Durham, NC
East Durham
East Durham Children's Initiative is working collaboratively with residents of the community and other key stakeholders and partners to focus on a 120 block area (893 acres/1.2 square miles) east of downtown Durham, NC. Their vision is to develop the support and resources for children and families to provide a pathway or pipeline from birth through high school graduation ready for college or career.
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Kinston, NC
Kinston Promise Neighborhood
Kinston Promise Neighborhood is a collaborative effort that includes public schools, nonprofits, faith-based organizations, and businesses who are working together to develop a continuum of support services for youth from birth to college to career. The Kinston Promise Neighborhood will focus efforts on low income communities which comprise 80 square blocks in East Kinston and 18 square blocks in the Mitchelltown Historic District.
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Boys Town, NE
Boys Town
The Village of Boys Town is unique in that all adults are working together on behalf of the young people that have been placed in the Village for residential treatment to assure that each child succeeds. The adults are united by this goal and by a common set of values and approaches known as the Boys Town Model. This model is based upon principles of character development, caring for one another, individual spiritual development, social skill training, occupational skill development and academic success. Many of the youth placed at Boys Town are years behind academically, most have had contact with police, and many have emotional disorders and have been disruptive even violent. Yet by far the majority of them succeed in school, eventually graduate and become productive citizens.
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Astoria, NY
Zone 126 Promise Neighborhood
The Zone 126 Promise Neighborhood, is focusing on two high schools and their school feeder patterns within the Astoria Houses Neighborhood. The mission of the Zone 126 Promise Neighborhood is to dramatically increase the number of low income children in Long Island City and Astoria who complete high school, graduate from college, and enter adulthood with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the 21st century economy. Their vision is that every child in Long Island City and Astoria, Queens – from birth to college – has sufficient access to caring adults, effective education, preventive and medical health services, a safe neighborhood, and opportunities to help others.
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Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga County/Cleveland
The Higher Education Compact of Greater Cleveland consists of key stakeholders from government, business, education, youth-based organization and the foundation community. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald, Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon, 15 college/university presidents and 36 community leaders have joined in partnership to ensure college readiness, college access and college completion are significantly enhanced through pro-active intervention, data-driven strategies and public accountability on performance metrics and indicators. Over time, the Higher Education Compact endeavors to significantly increase educational attainment rates both in high school and college to further sustain the community and promote economic development in Greater Cleveland.
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Norwood, OH
Norwood
The Norwood Community Coalition consists of agencies and organizations in the Norwood Community that serve children and families. Their aim is to maximize results by coordinating efforts and sharing resources. The Coalition values networking, cooperation and collaboration. Their collective work is organized around the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets.
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Tulsa, OK
Community Action Project of Tulsa County
The Community Action Project of Tulsa is working on a Promise Neighborhood Initiative in Tulsa with the goal to increase opportunities for children in the Kendall-Whittier Neighborhood through ensuring high quality schools and supports for young people.
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Portland, OR
Self Enhancement, Inc. - Portland, OR
The Self Enhancement, Inc/Jefferson Promise Neighborhood partners represent all areas along the continuum of cradle-to-career services for vulnerable, underserved youth and families. This partnership collaborative provides community supports targeting academic enrichment and social support, parent involvement and engagement, family wraparound services, culturally specific services, healthcare, housing, and work readiness.
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Charleston , SC
Charleston
The Mayor's Office for Children, Youth and Families and key stakeholders in Charleston are focusing on improving the conditions for children, mobilizing resources in the community to work on their behalf, and developing strategies to support children, youth and families. As part of Grad Nation Communities, Charleston will focus on improving outcomes for all young people attending Charleston County School District high schools.
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Summerville, SC
Summerville
Communities In Schools of Dorchester County currently has a strong partnership with the local school district, and is working to establish collaborative relationships with local human service agencies and faith-based organizations. These additional partnerships will help further their mission to provide free, quality out-of-school time academic enrichment programs to middle-school children throughout Dorchester County who are at risk of dropping out.
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Nashville, TN
Nashville
The mission of the collaborative work in Nashville, lead by Alignment Nashville, is to bring community organizations and resources into alignment so that their coordinated support of Nashville's youth has a positive impact on public school success, children's health, and the success of our community as a whole. As part of Grad Nation Communities, they will focus on raising graduation rates for high schools within Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.
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Houston, TX
Houston/Harris County
The Houston/Harris County GradNation Coalition is a direct outgrowth of previous work done under the auspices of the Joint City/County Commission on Children. Presently, the leadership of the coalition is working to engage cross-sector partners to move forward in a strategic, integrated and systemic manner to increase graduation rates throughout our entire county and its twenty-six school districts. Currently, the collaborative is focusing on Sterling High School and its surrounding neighborhood.
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LaCrosse, WA
LaCrosse
In LaCrosse, WA the collaborative goal is to provide maximum opportunities for all students in the school district to investigate life goals and to academically prepare for post-secondary education.
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