You can access all information and resources related to Breakthrough Postsecondary Success Collaborative Standards on this Google Site.   Resources include the standard benchmarks and glossary, an overview of their development, a timeline for implementation, and more.

At the 2024 Breakthrough National Conference, attendees joined a session titled, "Zooming in on the Strategic Plan: Collaborative Standards for Postsecondary Success." In this session, the group reflected on some of Breakthrough's postsecondary success work and what it will mean for affiliates, previewed standards that the college success pilot group drafted, and aligned on the path forward and ways that affiliates can provide input over the next several months.

You can access the slides and draft postsecondary success collaborative standards on the left side of this page.

This toolkit is a first draft- it is a living document that will be continuously iterated upon from now until the second version is launched in June, 2024.  Additionally, we will explore the toolkit in person with our Breakthrough colleagues during our college success session at National Conference.

We invite you to check it out, and offer feedback if you have any. We will be accepting feedback from toolkit users on a rolling basis through direct comments or suggestions in this Commentable Google Doc Version of the Toolkit, or overarching feedback through this feedback form (submissions here can also be anonymous). The CS Pilot group will process all feedback, and make real-time adjustments to the Public-facing Google Doc version of the toolkit, noting the date of the last update in the document title. To be clear, there are 2 Google Doc versions of the CS Toolkit- one is a view-only document that is for folks to consult and use when working on their CS programming, and the other contains the same content but is editable so folks can add feedback (in case there is any confusion about the 2 docs!).

Kudos to the CS Pilot project team for their hard work in creating this toolkit. Andrea Guengerich-Harper, Amee Naik, Jesenia Gervacio, Diane Gomes, George Mailat, Olivia Nuñez, and Beth Onofry all contributed from their affiliates (CTX, GB, SJC, and NY, respectively), and so many folks at the National Office have supported this project, especially Ambler, Alex, Jee, Phyllis, Tori, Sara, Meredith, Michael, and Rachel.

This resource is intended to provide an overview of the features of the college success programs at each Breakthrough affiliate participating in the College Success Pilot Project, including: Breakthrough Central Texas, Breakthrough Greater Boston, Breakthrough New York, and Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano. 

In this resource, you can explore tables comparing program structures, key services offered, and data measures at each of the pilot affiliates.  These comparison tables provide a birds-eye view of the work happening at each affiliate, and indicate aspects of college success programs that are happening at multiple affiliates as well as those that are unique to individual affiliates.

Additionally, each affiliate has created an in-depth profile which provides context into their program history, staffing structure, services offered, key partnerships, data metrics, upcoming initiatives, bright spots and challenges. Through the individual profiles, you can see how each affiliate’s college success program is unique and adapted to the local landscape and needs of their community.

This review was prepared by to inform the planning of the Breakthrough Collaborative’s College Success Pilot Network Improvement Community. It describes the challenges college students face today and identifies research- and practice-based evidence of best practices and strategies to support students enrolled in college through completion of their degree, with a focus on students who are similar to those served by Breakthrough Collaborative affiliates: i.e., first-generation college goers, students from minoritized racial/ethnic groups, and students from economically disadvantaged households.

Detailed in this literature review are 10 strategies that may assist Breakthrough in supporting its students through college:

1. Provide financial support

2. Guide students’ college choice

3. Reduce summer melt

4. Support the transition to college

5. Provide counseling and advising

6. Support students’ mental health well-being

7. Cultivate student-to-student connections

8. Support students’ career development

9. Partner with higher education institutions

10. Use data to monitor success

These dashboards shows Breakthrough students' college access, persistence, and success data. It is typically updated in late winter-early spring depending on when National Student Clearinghouse data becomes available. Check out our guide for a breakdown of the different sections and national comparison data.

The dashboards include key information such as current college enrollment, persistence into years 2, 3, and 4, and college graduation rates. 

Dashboards:

•  Collab. Wide: College Access, Persistence, Success: shows Breakthrough's aggregate college data. 

• My Site: College Access, Persistence, Success: shows the affiliate specific college data. 

NCAN Membership Request Form

Breakthrough affiliate staff at sites without National College Attainment Network (NCAN) memberships can access NCAN's offerings via a Breakthrough Collaborative account. NCAN memberships include free webinars, professional development courses, access to weekly newsletters, a community of practice with other NCAN members, and discounted rates for conferences and events. For a walkthrough of NCAN's member benefits and member portal, check out this video.

Request a Breakthrough Collaborative NCAN Membership via this form. Once your request is submitted, you will receive a follow-up email with next steps. If you have any questions, contact Sam Geary.