Impact Report 2021-22: Breaking down barriers and building bridges
Over the 2021–22 school year, M3 continued its work to break down barriers between students and success, and to build bridges that link K–12 experiences to higher education.
Our fast-growing M3 College Connections dual enrollment program allowed more MPS students to earn as many as 21 college credits by taking college-level classes on campus at MATC or UWM.
To combat summer melt, a term that describes high school seniors who plan to go to college but fail to attend for any number of reasons, M3 launched Smart Start. This intentional, connected journey helps MPS graduates from the time of admission through a summer bridge effort and co-curricular activities during their first semester at both MATC and UWM. Smart Start has the potential to support those 10 to 40 percent of U.S. high school seniors who express interest in college but never walk through the doors.
M3 encouraged more seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) following a nationwide decline in the wake of COVID-19. The FAFSA completion rate in MPS is up 8 percent, outpacing the national average of 4%.
Recognizing the value of learning through employment and our role in building the region’s diverse talent pipeline, our partnership brought together more than 600 MPS juniors and seniors along with 100 local employers at the annual student job fair, helping to create intentional work-based learning opportunities.
In this year’s impact report, we invite you to learn more about the continued significant growth of our dual enrollment efforts, the holistic approach we are taking to support MPS graduates heading to MATC and UWM, and the barriers we are tearing down to help them persist and succeed in higher education.
We also continue to closely monitor data to identify where improvement is needed and to develop the steps to increase success. Our dashboard is public so everyone can better understand the challenges and monitor our shared progress.
As M3 partners, we are eliminating equity gaps, empowering students to build the future they deserve, and ultimately, transforming the future of Milwaukee through education.
Sincerely,
Keith P. Posley, Ed.D., Superintendent, MPS
Vicki Martin, Ph.D., President, MATC
Mark A. Mone, Ph.D., Chancellor, UWM