Rather, it requires an ecosystem of support that includes multiple stakeholders with varying roles. Internal to MNPS, school counselors, GEAR UP specialists, college and career readiness coaches, teachers, principals, and academy coaches all play a part in supporting a student along their journey to postsecondary pursuits. Externally, community-based organizations, employers, and higher education institutions also support MNPS students in collaboration with schools to prepare and connect them to opportunities. With the creation of the College and Career Readiness Division, MNPS has been making an effort to implement a comprehensive CCR strategy that better serves Nashville’s youth.
In this context, CBOs are nonprofit organizations that provide two distinct types of services: (1) after-school programming and (2) college access and technical assistance. CBOs collaborate with the Office of Community and Family Partnerships and maintain collaboration with certain schools based on their need and interest. After-school programs can offer opportunities for career exposure outside of school hours, while college access programs often collaborate with MNPS’ Counseling and College and Career Readiness divisions to support students during school hours.
Employers can support MNPS by becoming Academy Partners, providing insight into curriculum that aligns with industry standards, and offering programming aligned with the work-based learning continuum. The work-based learning continuum includes career fairs, site visits, job shadows, internships, and career-based learning opportunities. Employers partner with high schools through PENCIL, collaborate in the form of school-based advisory boards organized by MNPS, and serve on the Academies of Nashville Partnership Council convened by the Chamber.
Postsecondary Institutions: Postsecondary institutions support MNPS in several capacities, including hosting college visits, participating in college and career fairs, providing insight into dual credit curricula, and offering dual enrollment opportunities. For years, both Belmont University and Lipscomb University have offered scholarships reserved strictly for a select group of MNPS students. MNPS is now organizing and recruiting additional institutions to take a similar approach under the umbrella of an initiative called University MNPS.
The committee also had the opportunity to hear from two community-based organizations: Martha O’Bryan Center and Oasis Center. These organizations take distinct approaches to support MNPS with postsecondary advising. Martha O’Bryan has advisors with dedicated space at Stratford STEM Magnet, Maplewood, and Hunters Lane high schools as a part of its Postsecondary Success Initiative, while the Oasis College Connection program has a team of mentors that supports students across 11 of MNPS’ schools. When asked how they work together with MNPS and other partners engaged in this space, Lee Gray, Senior Director of School-Based Programs at Oasis Center, said, “It needs to be a coordinated effort; if one advisor is contradicting the other, the work becomes challenging, and the student and their family gets confused. It is really on us to ensure we are on the same page with the adults in the building and do our best to be kind, caring, and consistent adults for each student.” Kent Miller, Chief Operating Officer for the Martha O’Bryan Center, added, “Ideally, we are sharing space, and the students don’t even notice the difference between the types of staff.”
Both organizations took time to acknowledge other partners in this space, including Conexión Américas, YMCA’s Black & Latino Achievers, Persist, and grant-funded initiatives such as GEAR UP and New Skills Ready that create capacity for MNPS. What did they think that Nashville could do better? Both organizations mentioned that many students are feeling the need to work to supplement their families’ income. By providing students with opportunities to balance work and education, the Nashville community can help them achieve their long-term career goals.
The Education Report Committee includes community stakeholders engaged with MNPS in different capacities, from dedicated Academy business partners and postsecondary partners to nonprofit partners and after-school care providers. When shown the Pathways Advising Framework, committee members considered ways their organizations could support students along the continuum, as early as middle school. Although the framework has not been adopted by MNPS in an official capacity, it does give insight into the needs and possibilities of a community supporting its youth with a consistent set of experiences that build on each other. As MNPS makes shifts internally to grow and evolve its postsecondary advising strategy, it is important to consider the strengths and interests that would be leveraged from the community.
MNPS has the most comprehensive knowledge of who its partners are and the structures in place to support their efforts. What would it be like to reimagine these structures through an advising lens to ensure each pathway, experiential learning opportunity, and advising conversation is aligned and easily communicated to students and families to facilitate smooth postsecondary and career transitions? MNPS has worked hard to ensure the ingredients for such alignment exist. To fully benefit from resources available through community-based organizations and the broader Nashville community, an inclusive community approach, comprehensive coordination and conversation are needed.
With that community-wide approach in mind, an opportunity also exists for added support across the K-12 postsecondary advising continuum. Community-based organizations and employers alike, who are not currently partners with MNPS, can engage in this work to provide meaningful programming and experiences for Nashville’s youth.
