SHEEO is partnering with the City University of New York’s (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE) National Replication Collaborative to establish and launch a new learning community among state higher education leaders to replicate the CUNY ASAP|ACE model at scale to increase college completion rates within their community college sectors. Five states have been selected for $50,000 planning grants to facilitate their participation in the inaugural learning community.
A key objective of this project is to work with states to address racial equity gaps in attainment rates (with a focus on Black and Latinx students) through strategic scaling of the ASAP model. Chosen states will move through a year-long engagement including intensive technical assistance from SHEEO and the ASAP|ACE National Replication Collaborative at CUNY. Learning community events will take place between August 2023-June 2024.
Participating States
- Colorado
- New Jersey
- North Carolina
- Michigan
- Washington
What the ASAP|ACE model looks like
The ASAP|ACE model was established by the City University of New York (CUNY) system in 2007, and was designed to break down barriers to degree completion, particularly for CUNY’s low-income students. CUNY ASAP students receive comprehensive support, including:
- full tuition and fee benefits
- other financial incentives like textbook support and MetroCards
- wraparound services like intensive, relational advising protocol
- an emphasis on facilitating student inclusion/belonging
- a sophisticated data management infrastructure that encourages student progression and timely completion
These wraparound supports have served more than 88,000 CUNY students and the approach has been shown to more than double graduation rates for ASAP students over comparison groups in nearly every evaluation completed on the program.
Upcoming Events
May 23, 2024, 2-3 p.m. Eastern – Register Here
Centering Students: #CollegeCompletionASAP Success Stories
Hear from recent grads about how CUNY ASAP and two replication programs in other states impacted their lives.
SHEEO|ASAP learning community teams are encouraged to invite community college leaders and other stakeholders who may want to hear more about the human impact of ASAP as your team considers scaling the model in your state. Recently graduated students will share their stories and be available for brief questions through 2:30 p.m., then state teams and their guests will be placed into breakout rooms to further discuss the promise of ASAP replication as a concrete, proven strategy to increase completion rates.
Past Events
- April 2024 Investing in #CollegeCompletionASAP – A Funder Forum Webinar – Find the PowerPoint from that webinar here.
- January 2024 SUNY Replication Feature Webinar – Learn more
- December 2023 CUNY ASAP Replication Nuts & Bolts Webinar – Learn more
- November 2023 New York City Convening – Find the PowerPoint from that convening here.
Background and Project Details
SHEEO|ASAP College Completion Coalition Learning Community Memo, includes information on:
- CUNY ASAP background information
- Planned Learning Community Activities
- Eligibility information
- Project timeline
- Expected deliverables
- Selection Process
