How can communities increase college access and success for students?

Challenge

Research consistently shows that obtaining a postsecondary credential is the clearest path to economic mobility, particularly given the growing demands for college-educated workers with complex,specialized skills. For example, in the State of Washington, about 2/3 of projected job openings will require applicants to hold a certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, or higher level of education. However, only 60% of Washington high school graduates enroll in college within their 1st year of high school graduation. Of the students who enroll in college, only 47% complete a degree or certificate within 8 years of high school graduation.

In 2018, the Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (Seattle DEEL) created the Seattle Promise program to address this gap. The program provides financial support and personalized guidance to Seattle high school students who wish to earn an associate degree or certificate and enter the workforce or transfer to a 4-year university.

In 2022, Seattle DEEL sought to assess the program’s effectiveness.

Solutions

Westat led the assessment, with the Washington Student Achievement Council serving as a thought partner throughout the project. The work included the design and implementation of a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental impact evaluation examining postsecondary outcomes for the first 3 cohorts of Seattle Promise students. Activities included:

• Propensity score matching to identify a comparison group similar to Seattle Promise students who did not participate in the program
• Structured interviews with Seattle Promise students and staff
• Linking individual-level program data to data from Seattle Public Schools and the National Student Clearinghouse
• Quantitative analyses comparing the outcomes of Seattle Promise students with those of the matched comparison group
• Qualitative analyses providing rich contextual information to supplement quantitative findings
• Reports and presentations summarizing key findings and highlighting recommendations for improvement

Results

Analyses revealed 3 key findings:

• Seattle Promise students were significantly more likely to enroll in college compared with matched nonparticipants.
• Seattle Promise students who enrolled in college were more likely to enroll in 2-year, public, and in-state colleges than their nonparticipant peers who also enrolled in college.
• There were smaller differences in college enrollment across demographic groups among Seattle Promise students compared with matched nonparticipants.

Seattle Promise: A Snapshot of Four-Year Program Impacts (PDF) provides details on each of these key findings, as well as supplemental analyses that explore outcomes related to college retention and completion among enrolled students.