How Marion County schools will use $7.5 million to get students to college

Franklin Township’s school district will use its $1.5 million to establish a college and career center at Franklin Central High School.

The district is focused on exposing students to college opportunities as early as eighth grade, as well as expanding dual enrollment opportunities through associate degree programs and the Indiana College Core, the state’s college credit program.

Indianapolis Public Schools

IPS will use $1.5 million to support students at Arsenal Tech High School. The district plans to hire more college counselors and monitor high school students’ readiness for college through a model that officials are calling the “Academic On-Track” program.

Earlier this summer, IPS officials told Mirror Indy they plan to use their funding to hire more counselors for their summer melt program, which helps recent high school graduates enroll in college during the summer between their senior year of high school and first semester of college.

[Many students intend to go to college but never enroll. IPS has a plan to help]

Warren Township schools

The foundation gave $1.47 million to Warren Township’s school district.

The district will use the money to establish a center at Warren Central High School to serve as a one-stop shop for financial aid and college counseling. Called the “Journey of a Graduate Center,” it will be open both on weekdays and weekends so it’s accessible to working parents and families.

Warren will also use the funds to establish a mobile college and career center bus, as well as create a summer program to support high school graduates as they transition into college.

Wayne Township schools received $1.5 million from the foundation to expand college and career counseling starting in seventh grade. The district will also create a new college and career advising center at Ben Davis High School, meant to be more accessible to students and families.

The district specifically wants to focus on expanding access to dual enrollment courses so more students can start college with credits already completed.

Victory College Prep

Victory College Prep, a charter school on the southeast side of Indianapolis, will use $1.5 million from the foundation to expand college and career services starting in eighth grade.

The school also hopes to boost dual credit completion through an incentive system called “College-Bound Cash.”

The school also plans to work with Southeast Community Services to create a series of financial literacy workshops for families so that students and parents can learn about how to pay for college.