Postsecondary Outcomes Roundtable Series Report
On July 30, 2018, the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC) released Post-Secondary Outcomes of Newark High School Graduates, an analysis of college enrollment, persistence, and completion trends for approximately 85 percent of all Newark high school students who graduated between 2011 and 2016. The first of its kind in Newark, the report’s sample is representative of students from all school sectors, including district, charter, vocational technical, and parochial. While the findings highlight the good news that more Newark students are going to college – 54 percent of the sample immediately enrolled in college – it also highlights the need for more supports to enable Newark students to persist toward degree completion. Only about 23 percent of students earned any type of degree or credential within six years.
To ensure that the report was accessible and useable, NCLC launched an extensive community engagement effort, which included a five-part Community Roundtable Series from October 2 to November 5, 2018. The Roundtables took place in each of Newark’s five wards. In total, nearly 200 parents, students, school administrators, teachers, policy makers, clergy members, and concerned citizens participated in the Roundtable Series. Each discussion was moderated by a local school or community representative and included panelists from the community.