Empowering apprenticeships for middle schoolers

Spark's mission is driven by a key principle - the middle grades matter. Research shows that the seventh and eighth grades - the formative time in students' lives when as many as 60% of students become “chronically disengaged” in their education- are vital for preparing young people for success in high school and beyond. To holistically address the needs of middle grades students during this pivotal moment in their education and their lives, Spark is embarking on a transformational project to directly provide students with resources, support and programming aimed specifically at helping them transition from middle school to high school. 

In tandem with Spark's traditional middle grades mentoring and skills-building programming, Spark's High School Readiness and Transition (HSRT) Initiative will guide students through the process of evaluating their high school options, selecting the right school for them and developing key social-emotional skills preparing them to transition to the faster-pace, greater responsibility of high school. 

Spark knows that this programming is critical for the success of young people, particularly from under-resourced communities. In fact, research shows that two-thirds of high school dropouts either did not complete ninth grade or repeated ninth grade only to drop out later. In Spark’s four regions, district graduation rates show that 40% of students drop out of high school. More than half of the students in the United States who do not complete their high school education come from roughly 5% of high schools. These “dropout factories” typically have graduation rates less than 60%, well below the national average of 80%. 

Spark is working to fix the leaky bucket of ninth grade by ensuring that eight graders are prepared for the challenges of high school. The goal of the High School Readiness and Transition Initiative is to help young students select high schools that are a good fit for them, successfully navigate the tough ninth grade year and ultimately graduate on time with a greater likelihood of college enrollment.

This work is made possible by Spark's largest grant received to date, a $1.2 million investment by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The grant will support Spark in refining and scaling a major part of its programming that aids middle grade students in the high school transition process. The Initiative was designed based on a pilot in Chicago stemming from a collaborative partnership between Spark and Chicago Public Schools’ Department of Career and Technical Education. In Chicago, there is significant student mobility between high schools, which suggests a need for additional transition supports to help families identify the best school option for their children. Now, Spark will continue its work in the Chicago community while scaling this programming nationally. 

The HSRT Initiative includes counseling workshops to help students examine their high school options; a dynamic high school database plus resource guides with step-by-step processes for high school application and enrollment; sessions covering the social and emotional aspects of high school transition; and monthly check-ins and a peer support system between younger and older Spark alumni. Spark is privileged to partner with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and to have the opportunity to grow and deepen its commitment to underserved students’ success in high school and beyond.

Links:

• Read more about Spark's HSRT Initiative here.