DKC Public Relations

Bruce Bobbins / Megan Lavery

(212) 981-5190 / (212) 981-5147

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SEO SCHOLARS CLOSES ACHIEVEMENT GAP

BETWEEN BLACK/HISPANIC AND WHITE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Proof that Out-of-School-Time Can Be Used to Close the Achievement Gap

Also Between Low-Income and Affluent High School Students

(New York, June 19, 2012) – A two-year independent study by Policy Studies Associates, Inc. confirms that an academic out-of-school time program, SEO Scholars, has closed the achievement gap by dramatically improving outcomes for its low-income students. The study has system-wide implications, proving that out-of-school time is a solution that can be capitalized upon well beyond its current use to improve student performance.

The study shows that participants of the SEO Scholars program attain higher GPAs, better SAT scores and are accepted to more selective colleges than New York City public high school students of the same socio-economic status and ethnic background. Most SEO Scholars (80%) are Black and Hispanic, low-income and enter the program with at least a 77% GPA.

Most significantly, the performance of SEO Scholars on the SAT matched or exceeded that of all American students as reported by the College Board. Further, Black and Hispanic SEO Scholars perform as well as, or better than, their more affluent White counterparts on the SAT, closing the racial achievement gap that has befuddled policymakers and plagued American public education for decades.

Another affirmation of the program’s effectiveness is the fact that although Scholars are predominantly selected from families whose income hovers near the poverty line, they earn SAT scores higher than those of students from families whose average annual income is around $140,000 a year. Various studies have shown that SAT scores are strongly correlated with family income.

Based in New York, SEO Scholars is an eight-year program that services motivated low-income students from ninth grade through college graduation. In high school, SEO Scholars provides a carefully-calibrated, rigorously-assessed course of supplemental education delivered through a weekly Saturday Academy, after-school classes and a Summer Academy. In all, Scholars receive the equivalent of over 2.5 years of additional instruction in English and 1.5 years of additional instruction in Math during high school.

“More than a quarter billion dollars in public and private dollars is spent annually in New York City on out-of-school time programs. We could get a much greater return on those dollars if we put real education into supplemental education, helping our nation's public school systems close the opportunity and achievement gaps facing low-income students. ” saidWilliam Goodloe, president and CEO of SEO. “This study indicates that kids do not have to fall victim to the achievement gap that looms over their heads due to socio-economic disadvantages.”

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P. 2—SEO Study

Study Results

The report, “Preparing for College Success: Evaluation of the Educational Impact of the SEO Scholars Program,” was commissioned for trustees of the Edwin Gould Foundation, which supports non-profit organizations that deliverinnovative academic programs aimed at closing the achievement gap. The report shows that SEO Scholars:

  • Score an average of 1616 on the SAT, outperforming not only evenly-matched students (who average 1492) but national test-takers (who average 1509).
  • Surpass the SAT score (1550) students need to be “college ready” as identified by the College Board.
  • Maintain an average GPA of 3.3 as compared to 2.7 for evenly-matched students.
  • The SEO Scholars program has the strongest impact on low-income Black and Hispanic males who, without intervention, have poor academic outcomes relative to their female counterparts.
  • Are much more likely to attend very competitive, highly competitive and most competitive four-year colleges as determined by Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges, 2009 Edition.

“By preparing students for high levels of academic success and college admissions, SEO Scholars addresses the achievement gap at one of its most critical junctures,” said Mark Bieler, Chairman of the Edwin Gould Foundation, which has provided ongoing input and funding for SEO. “SEO Scholars is creating a groundbreaking roadmap to success and is paving the way to college admissions for some of New York City’s most underserved students.”

The Future for SEO Scholars

Since 2006, SEO Scholars has tripled the number of students served. Currently, 400 high school students in New York City and San Francisco are enrolled in addition to 212 college students at 97 different schools throughout the country.

Experts suggest thatover 10,000 NYC public school 9th graders could qualify for the SEO Scholars program. At their current level of funding, SEO Scholars was only able to admit 120 of the over 1,000 9th graders who applied in the fall of 2011.

“We are seeking additional funding so that we can have a greater impact,” said Walter Booker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of SEO. “We also hope that the study will serve as a catalyst for a re-examination of what is being provided for low-income students beyond standard classroom hours. The potential is clearly life-altering for students and families.”

Sponsors for Educational Opportunity (SEO) was founded in 1963 with a mission to provide talented and motivated young people from underserved and underrepresented communities with access to educational and career opportunities. Currently, SEO runs three programs. SEO Scholars provides out-of-school time academic classes and advising to ensure that low-income public high school students get to and through college; SEO Career recruits, trains and mentors outstanding underrepresented college students of color for internships that lead to careers in some of the nation’s most competitive industries; SEO Alternative Investments provides education, exposure, training and mentoring opportunities to talented professionals traditionally under-represented in the alternative investments sector. SEO’s powerful network of 8,000 alumni spans 46 states and 45 countries including affiliate programs in London, China and Vietnam.