Giving Compass' Take:

• Laura Ward discusses two programs in Nashville that are giving adults who want to grow in their education the positive reinforcement they need to get started on that journey.

• What are some effective promise programs that work now? How can higher education institutions improve their outreach to adult learners and address the gaps that exist?

• Here’s a few ways we can all help adult college students graduate. 

Even in a region experiencing unprecedented job growth and a city where unemployment is at a historic low, there are residents of Nashville, Tenn. still being left behind. Nashvillians understand the need for education beyond high school, but for many, the journey to a higher education degree or credential is complicated by barriers such as lack of transportation or reliable child care and balancing work, school, and family. Too often, they are left disconnected from vital resources that could support their goals.

Nashville is now working to close these equity gaps through a “sorting in” approach for education beyond high school. With the help of two novel programs— Reconnect Cafés and Reconnect Ambassadors—people can move into jobs with clear paths for growth in position and salary.

In 2017, the Lumina Foundation designated Nashville as a Talent Hub, establishing a partnership between two local colleges, the chamber of commerce, and the city government to promote educational opportunities beyond high school. The Talent Hub focused on the Nashville Promise Zone, an economically disadvantaged part of the city where there are almost 53,000 adults without a postsecondary degree or credential.

Many Promise Zone residents are seeking postsecondary education while also trying to support themselves and their families, which forces them to address potential barriers such as limited transportation, food insecurity, and child care responsibilities. Understanding this, the Talent Hub partnership opened three Reconnect Cafés on the campuses of Nashville State Community College. These cafés serve as gathering places for students to access on- and off-campus resources that address barriers to education. Mobile Reconnect Cafés go even further in meeting students where they are, bringing those resources to places of business, community-based organizations, jails, and other places where adults need support in completing their educations.

Read the full article about helping adults go back to school in Nashville by Laura Ward at Brookings.