Achievers Scholarship Program

What is the District of Columbia Achievers Program?
The District of Columbia Achivevers Program is a partnership of the District of Columbia College Success Foundation (DC CSF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The program provides scholarships, mentoring support and high-intensity college access services to approximately 250 highly motivated, low-income students from six public high schools in Washington, DC, annually. The six schools are in Wards 7 and 8 — two of the economically neediest sections in the district. Over a 15-year time frame, 2,250 District of Columbia students will receive more than $110 million in scholarships and support. The first cohort of DC Achievers Scholars will enter college in the fall of 2008.

The Achievers Program embodies four central components:

• High school redesign — redesign schools to emphasize a college preparatory curriculum for all students delivered in small communities that ensure a supportive learning climate
• Early college awareness in middle and high school — helping students understand what they need to do to gain admission to college
• Scholarships — funding college for students from the lowest third of family incomes in the city.  The Achievers Scholarship Program offers scholarships to attain a bachelor’s degree to students when they are juniors in high school.
• Mentoring — connecting  college-bound students with adults in the community to support college goal-setting and planning

To ensure students are prepared to thrive after high school, school leaders commit to infusing their schools with the new 3Rs.

• Rigor — challenging curriculum
• Relevance — coursework and projects relevant to students’ lives and aspirations
• Relationships — fostering strong relationships between adults and students to create a college-going culture

DC CSF will collaborate with the DC College Access Program (DC CAP) to manage the DC Achievers Scholarship Program in the six DC high schools. Simultaneously, DC Public Schools (DCPS) will undergo a multi-year intensive school redesign process, led by America’s Choice, a program of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE).

What is the impetus behind establishing the District of Columbia Achievers Program?
Bill and Melinda Gates believe that access to higher education opens doors to opportunities, especially for low-income students and students of color. A recent report commissioned by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation found that in the District of Columbia out of every 100 students who enter 9th grade in District of Columbia Public Schools and DC charter schools only 43 graduate from high school in the District within five years, whereas the national average is 68%; only 29 enroll in postsecondary educational programs within 18 months of graduating high school, compared to the national average at 48%; and 9% attain a postsecondary degree within five years of enrolling in college, compared to the 23% national average. 

These rates are considerably below the national average, even if one looks only at low-income or African American students.  In some sections of the city, the situation is even more desperate: For instance, of those attending high school in Wards 7 and 8 from our cohort of students, only one in three finished high school, and only one in 20 earns a college degree.  Additionally, the oft-noted gap between males and females is clearly present in the District; a female starting 9th grade is twice as likely to attain a postsecondary degree on time as her male classmate. 

The District of Columbia  Achievers Program hopes to address this disparity in Washington by working comprehensively with 6 high schools serving large low-income populations. The program will encourage high school redesign efforts that raise academic achievement and increase college enrollment and completion rates of all students, especially those of low-income.

What are the goals of the District of Columbia Achievers Program?
The District of Columbia Achievers Program has four primary goals:

• Reduce financial barriers for talented, low-income students who are motivated to attend college
• Use non-traditional indicators other than GPA and standardized test scores to identify students with the potential to earn bachelor’s degrees and to select them for scholarships
• Increase college enrollment among all students at Achievers schools 
• Develop a diverse cadre of college-educated citizens and leaders

Why is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation tying scholarships to high school reform?
If substantial progress is to be made in increasing college enrollment and completion among low-income and minority youth, efforts to reduce financial barriers to higher education must be accompanied by adequate preparation in K-12 schools, as well as high expectations, and academic support and mentorship while in college. Most schools, particularly those serving low-income populations, are not currently structured to provide these support systems to all students. This program will provide six District of Columbia public state high schools with the opportunity to redesign and better serve all students.

When were the first scholarships awarded?
The first scholarships were awarded to juniors enrolled during the 2006-2007 academic year in the six selected Achievers High Schools in May 2007. The first class of Achievers Scholars will enroll in college fall 2008. In coming years, the application and selection process will occur during the fall of the students' junior year in high school. Notification prior to the senior year will enable recipients to enroll in additional college preparatory classes during their senior year and will provide recipients with time to consider college choice, apply for financial aid and pursue other scholarships as needed.

To learn more about the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation school redesign aspect of this program, click here.