College Month

This month is “College Awareness Month” in the City of Springfield. Throughout the year, the district continually offers college access programs and services in partnership with area colleges and universities, as well as community organizations; but this month, Springfield joins many cities nationwide in setting October aside as a distinct time for students of all ages to learn more about continuing their education after high school. “College Awareness Month” builds on pre-existing events that take place in October, such as the administration of the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) and local college fairs, to spread the message of college awareness throughout the district. Many of our students do enroll in college after graduation, but the numbers are still too low. In June, 887 out of 1,200 seniors reported they had been accepted to college; and the Springfield Renaissance School graduated its first senior class in June with a 100 percent college acceptance rate. The national conversation and school reform efforts clearly articulate that every student graduating from high school is career and college ready. In a school district with an over 80% poverty rate, we must galvanize district and community resources to ensure that every child in SPS knows that college is a realistic option for all of our students.