Assess
The first step to making cultural change is understanding where you are now and where you want to go. To help you assess your school community’s level of maturity when it comes to building a college-going culture, we have developed an assessment tool. Keep in mind, this tool offers a framework for driving change in your community — but it is NOT a one-size-fits-all solution.
Each school’s strengths, needs, and opportunities will vary. You should feel empowered to develop a model and a culture that best serves your students, families, and community.
To get started, download the College-Going Culture Assessment and review it on your own or with your GEAR UP team. Once you’ve reviewed the assessment, is it clear which level most closely represents your school community?
It’s ok if it’s not. Sometimes, when we seek to drive change, we can be a little “all over the place” when it comes to developing and implementing our strategies and tactics. If that sounds like your school, don’t worry! That’s exactly the problem this College-Going Toolkit was designed to address.
Reflect
Use this toolkit to develop a more comprehensive and strategic plan to drive change in your community. We recommend starting at the bottom of the Change Maker’s Pyramid to ensure you establish a strong foundation. Then, at your own pace, continue tackling strategies higher up the pyramid and moving toward long-term cultural change.
But before you dig in, be sure to take time to write down your thoughts and ideas in your College-Going Culture Workbook. This type of reflection can help you organize your ideas and gain valuable perspective to guide you along the way.