Learn More Indiana’s
Partner Updates
Susan Tharp
Elizabeth Crouch
Topics of Discussion
• Reminder of Learn More Indiana’s services
• An Update on Indiana’s College Success Coalitions
• Learn More Indiana Campaigns
• Priorities Moving Forward
• We want to hear from you!
Learn More Indiana
• Strategic outreach effort focused on raising
Indiana’s educational attainment
• Partnership of state agencies responsible for
education, financial aid, workforce development
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Indiana Commission for Higher Education
Indiana Department of Education
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana
Learn More Indiana
• Additional support:
– Indiana’s Colleges and Universities
– USA Funds
– Lumina Foundation for Education
– Federal College Access Challenge Grant
Learn More Indiana
• Core services help Hoosiers plan, prepare and pay
for postsecondary education:
– In print,
– In person,
– On the phone and
– On the Web
Meeting the Challenge
A growing statewide alliance of
local individuals and organizations
helping more Hoosiers know how to
go to college and succeed.
Indiana’s College
Success Coalition
• Created in 2007 with grant funding from the
Lumina Foundation for Education
• Leverages core services with local
grassroots and coalition-building efforts
• Provides coordinated network for community
leaders to identify needs, share ideas, and
craft solutions
Indiana’s College
Success Coalition
• Organized into 14 regions:
– Based on Twenty-first Century Scholars
program’s regional support sites to support
collaboration
– Led locally by regional chairperson, community
coordinator and coalition members
– Coalitions members include representatives
from K-12, higher education, faith-based
organizations, nonprofits, and businesses
among others
Indiana’s College
Success Coalition
• Initial success:
– Recruited over 700 coalition members to date
– Doubled attendance at 2009 College Goal Sunday
– FAFSA submissions increased significantly in 2009
• Lessons learned:
– Like students, communities want to help but often
don’t know how to help
– Need simple, practical steps to engage students and
community members
Learn More Indiana’s
Marketing/Media Campaigns
College GO Week • Cash for College • KnowHow2GO
College GO! Week (Fall)
• Overall Goal: Students take specific steps to prepare
for education after high school.
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Seniors: complete a college application
Juniors: register for Indiana’s e-transcript
Sophomores: complete the PSAT
Freshmen: complete a career/college assessment
• Provide schools with toolkits to host event.
• Combine with local support to motivate students.
Cash for College (Spring)
• Overall Goal: Help Hoosier students and families
prepare to pay for college
• Provided Indiana’s high schools with promotional
items (handouts, banner, posters) to raise in-school
awareness of money available to help pay
• Online toolkits available for community partners and K12 leaders: LearnMoreIndiana.org/CashforCollege
Cash for College (Spring)
• Grade-specific steps for all K-12 students:
– Seniors: file the FAFSA
– Juniors: scout for scholarships
– Sophomores: calculate the cost
– Freshmen: learn the lingo
Cash for College (Spring)
• Grade-specific steps for all K-12 students:
– Every middle student will plan to pay by:
• Developing or updating their Graduation Plan
• Applying for Indiana’s Twenty-first Century Scholars
GEAR UP program
Cash for College (Spring)
• Grade-specific steps for all K-12 students:
– Every elementary student will start to save by:
• Asking their parents to open a savings account
• Reading Little by Little with a teacher or parent
Events: Indiana’s FAFSA Fridays
• Free, instructional webinars for college-bound
students and families:
– Describes financial aid process
– Provides FAFSA-filing information
– Participants may chat online with financial aid
experts—public or private chat available
Events: Indiana’s FAFSA Fridays
FAFSA Friday
February 12 and 19
12 p.m. and 6 p.m. EST
Events: College Goal Sunday
Date: February 21, 2010
Time: 2 p.m. (local)
Where: 37 sites across IN
Why: Students and families
receive free help filing the
FAFSA online
CollegeGoalSunday.org
(Summer)
• Activities focused on transitions
implemented by Coalition at a local level
• Provide families an opportunity to:
– visit a college campus
– participate in their choice of workshops
– take advantage of other opportunities
Priorities Moving Forward
• Improving core Learn More services:
– Helpline transition
– New Web site under development
• Strengthening relationships:
– Partner agencies
– Colleges and universities
– Community groups
• Building coalitions’ capacity and sustainability
Questions/Feedback
• College GO! Week
• Cash for College
• KnowHow2GOIndiana
• Other Questions?
How You Can Help
• Get connected:
– Visit www.learnmoreindiana.org
– Call 1-800-992-2076
• Get involved:
– Provide feedback on previous events
– Respond to ideas for future initiatives
Contact Us
• Susan Tharp
– [email protected]
– 317.464.4400 ext. 42
• Elizabeth Crouch
– [email protected]
– 317.464.4400 ext. 40