Complete College America announced today the launch of the GPS Direct Seal of Approval, a program designed to recognize software tools that most effectively promote college completion through adherence to the essential components of the organization’s Guided Pathways to Success (GPS) initiative.
“This seal of approval presents a powerful opportunity to shift the culture and shape the overall development of higher education technology,” said Stan Jones, president of Complete College America. “We know that students are more successful when they are provided default pathways, guaranteed milestone courses, intrusive (just-in-time) advising, and the mechanisms to make better informed choices; the technology at our colleges and universities should complement these best practices.”
Complete College America developed the GPS Direct initiative to encourage higher education institutions to utilize best practices for improved student success, academic progress and degree attainment for students. Specifically, GPS Direct requires institutions to define and offer clearly organized pathways to completion, ensure course availability, and provide technology that tracks progress and manages resources for current and future planning.
For 2016, the award program will evaluate vendors and their software solutions for functionality that supports pathways, including the ability to default students onto their chosen academic map, easy integration of the registration process and software, and the mechanisms for ongoing monitoring and reporting for when students get off track.
“Rather than allowing students to wander aimlessly through their postsecondary experience, institutions should give students a clear path to graduation,” Jones said. “While technology alone will not solve our college completion challenges, an effective technology solution can better prepare students to choose the right path, make progress on that path, and ultimately complete their degree or credential.”
An advisory board comprised of national experts and practitioners will assist with defining the measurements and scorecard, promoting best practices and awarding the GPS Direct Seal of Approval to successful candidates.
You can view the GPS Direct Seal of Approval project solicitation here.
