Complete College America today announced the addition of Colorado and Idaho to its Momentum Pathways Scale Project, an initiative focused on boosting college attainment in the states by developing clear pathways amongst participating institutions and implementing evidence-based strategies that help students meet key, first-year benchmarks. Both states are members of the Complete College America Alliance, a network of states, regions and institutional consortia committed to taking bold action to improve graduation rates and eliminate achievement gaps.
The effort leverages CCA’s Game Changers, data-driven interventions designed to restructure systems, improve student outcomes and eliminate achievement gaps. Recognizing the synergy between these strategies, CCA developed the Momentum Pathways model, laying out the optimal path for implementation that leads to greater student momentum and success through increased early credit accumulation, gateway course completion and completion of credits in a program of study. The Momentum Pathways Scale Project creates a three-year implementation timeline and includes significant structured implementation support from CCA staff and content experts.
“Becoming a Complete College America Momentum State will help Colorado galvanize around a set of concrete strategies that, when implemented at scale and in concert with one another, will dramatically increase the likelihood of college completion for thousands of students,” said Dan Baer, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. “We know this work takes a coordinated, statewide approach that acknowledges the links among equity, affordability and innovation. We’re thrilled to get started and pave the way for the rest of the nation.”
“Idaho is thrilled and honored to be named a Momentum Pathways state because now is the time, due to the leadership of the State Board of Education, to scale CCA’s Game Changer strategies statewide,” said Laura Woodworth-ney, Executive Vice President and Provost of Idaho State University. “As a small state with a collaborative spirit, we have an enormous opportunity to leverage CCA’s unparalleled expertise to transform Idaho’s current completion rates and future economy. It is a privilege to work with CCA to make a difference for Idaho’s students and communities.”
“We are excited to be supporting Colorado and Idaho in this important work,” said Complete College America Senior Vice President Bruce Vandal. “By committing to Momentum Pathways, institutions in both states will make it possible for many mores students to be successful in their first year of college and ultimately achieve their goals.”
Colorado and Idaho join three other states and one institutional system that have committed their collective efforts to the implementation of Momentum Pathways. Montana, Hawaii, West Virginia and the City University of New York (CUNY) officially launched the initiative earlier this year.
