Serving statewide coordinating and governing boards in developing and sustaining excellent systems of higher education.
 
Building Statewide K-16 Systems for student success

In October 2000, SHEEO launched a new three-year initiative called Building Statewide K-16 Systems for Student Success. Sponsored by SHEEO with funding from four U.S. Department of Education programs (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs-GEAR UP, HEA Title II-Teacher Quality Enhancement Program, Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to Use Technology-PT3, and the National School-to-Work Office), the goal of this SHEEO/U.S. Department of Education collaboration is to build and strengthen connections across the four federal programs within each state through K-16 partnerships. This project is a logical continuation of agenda covered in the 1996-2000 Student Transitions Project.

The initiative consists of the following activities:

  • State case studies: Case studies were conducted in states that are developing innovative K-16 systems. These studies collected and analyzed information on the development of successful statewide K-16 efforts, and provided opportunities for information exchange among state level practitioners. Case studies were held from October 2001-April 2002 in Rhode Island, Maryland, California, Louisiana and North Carolina.

  • Policy roundtables: Roundtables were conducted in states interested in developing or enhancing their statewide K-16 efforts. These meetings brought together state leadership and program directors to foster development of K-16 systems.

  • Regional Forums: Forums were held to encourage interstate sharing and reinforce promising practices.

  • Searchable database on P-16 Policy Issues: The SHEEO K-16 database will be a comprehensive resource on national, regional, and state activities including data sources, initiatives, web sites, studies, and reports related to statewide K-16 initiatives.

  • Student Success: Statewide P-16 Systems Strategy Briefs: This compilation of strategy briefs synthesize information from state case studies and roundtables, analyzing key issues and challenges faced by state leaders in developing and implementing statewide K-16 systems.

In addition, this effort will contribute to the state policy work of the national Pathways to College Network involving SHEEO, the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, the Education Commission of the States, and the College Board.