AT&T: Aspire High School Success Initiative

The Aspire High School Success Initiative (HSSI) will support organizations implementing verifiable, evidenced-based interventions to improve the retention, promotion and graduation rates of students at risk of dropping out of high school. Aspire HSSI will fund organizations seeking to expand proven programs in new locations, serve additional students in existing locations or add components to strengthen their program(s). All programs should serve students currently in grades 9-12 or who have dropped out of grades 9-12.

The program should improve students’ success in high school and readiness for college and careers, including:
* Increasing high school graduation rates;
* Increasing on-time promotion to the next grade or on-track to graduate rates;
* Increasing credit accumulation and completion of core courses;
* Improving attendance rates; and
* Reducing behavioral and disciplinary problems.

Amount: Total: Up to $10 million; Award: Up to $300,000 for single community programs; Up to $1 million for multiple community programs (may be in same or different states).

Eligibility: 501(c)(3) charities or government organizations that can include: school districts, campuses and school district foundations (private foundations are not eligible); foundations for charter or private schools; public charities that work on-site with public and private education institutions; and public charities that work with public and private education institutions on a project basis.

Applicants must demonstrate that students they will serve are identified as “at risk of dropping out of school” and must confirm they serve students who display characteristics such as:
* Repeating a grade in elementary or middle school, or failing to be promoted on time from 9th grade to 10th grade;
* Reading or math test scores below grade level;
* Significant attendance problems (attendance rate below 90 percent);
* Inadequate credit accumulation, particularly for core courses;
* Significant behavioral or disciplinary events, including at least one in-school or out-of-school suspension; and/or,
* Attending a high school where 12th grade enrollment is 60 percent or less than the 9th grade enrollment three years previously.

Link: http://www.aspirerfp.com/rfp-requirements/

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