OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS
We have learned alongside our Community Partners as they have faced challenges, overcome barriers, and achieved extraordinary successes. Find out more about each project and the outcomes below.
YEAR
2008
GRANT CATEGORY
Education
GRANT AMOUNT
$102,000
Organization:
Breakthrough Central Texas
Project Title:
Middle School Summer Sessions 2008 and 2009
Project Description:
Breakthrough works to transform potential high school dropouts into promising college candidates, making college possible for students who have not historically pursued higher education.
With the Impact Austin grant, Breakthrough will send 90 low-income students—45 entering 7th grade and 45 entering 8th grade—to Middle School Summer Sessions in both 2008 and 2009. The summer sessions provide a critical six-week academic summer enrichment program at the University of Texas. The program helps students prepare for success in rigorous college preparatory coursework.
Breakthrough expects to see students in the program exhibit meaningful academic growth as measured in pre- and post-tests that will help them bypass the “summer slide” that is typical of many of their peers. Key program elements include six weeks of daily exposure to college life, college-prep curricula and electives. Of the 90 low-income middle school students participating in the program, almost all will be first-generation college graduates.
Grant Status:
The 2008 and 2009 Summer Sessions were very successful and represented a milestone in Breakthrough’s programmatic development. Breakthrough met nearly all goals while simultaneously developing, implementing and operating a new summer program to prepare rising 9th grade students for successful transition to high school. Enrollment was 92 in 2008 and 90 in 2009.
Short Term: During Middle School Summer Session
All showed statistically significant gains on the reading, writing and math portions of tests.
Over 90% attendance rate
98% participation in 7th grade student-teacher- parents conferences to explore academic progress and challenges
100% participation in 8th grade high school workshops to discuss high school expectations and options
Nearly 100% of parents agreed/ strongly agreed that the Summer Session prepared their child to enter next grade level.
17% more students passed all their regular 9th grade classes following the Summer Session than in the previous year
Intermediate: By End of Middle School
95% of middle school students enroll in advanced coursework
In 2008, more than 90% of Breakthrough students were admitted to college prep high schools/programs.
In 2009, 100% of Breakthrough 9th graders were accepted into and enrolled in a high school that met Breakthrough’s criteria as a high-performing high school.
Long Term: By High School Graduation
It will be 2014 before the middle schoolers in the 2008-2009 Summer Sessions graduate, but it is worth noting that 94% of Breakthrough’s pioneer senior class of 2008 graduated from high school in four years and 75% enrolled in college.
Of the 2009 class, 91% graduated and 80% enrolled in college.