Palo Alto College partners with Communities In Schools

It’s widely known that a significant percentage of high school students who grow up in underserved communities may never consider college as an option because of family obligations, competing work schedules, or financial challenges. These students are often the first in their families to pursue college or university, and thus require more attention to be a successful student.

This is why Palo Alto College has partnered with one of the largest, most effective dropout prevention organizations dedicated to keeping kids in school. Later this month, we will officially sign an agreement with Communities In Schools of San Antonio, so that we can maintain our focus on college students who have put off school or have stopped attending classes due to a myriad of obstacles.

The new, first-of-its-kind Re-Engagement Partnership seeks to re-engage students on a one-to-one basis both virtually and via home visits. Through this outreach, the team will provide advocacy support and resources to students who may have “stopped out” due to the pandemic, loss of income, or challenges with technology connectivity.

The agreement will empower staff from Communities In Schools to be housed at Palo Alto College, which allow more efficient access to student data and support services. Staff members will be making at-home visits to provide students with presentations and pamphlets related to mentoring, FAFSA assistance, scholarships, school supplies, resources to address students’ basic needs, and more.

Supporting students at all aspects of their journey at Palo Alto College, from enrollment to graduation, is imperative to one of our core values — Students First. And through strategic partnerships, we can continue to fulfill our mission to inspire, empower, and educate our community for leadership and success.

This column by Dr. Robert Garza, president of Palo Alto College, was originally published in the San Antonio Express-News' Southside Reporter and mysanantonio.com.