Event: Changing the Odds Summit
Date and Time: September 27, 2023 from 9 AM to 1 PM
Place: Goddard Riverside Bernie Wohl Center, 647 Columbus Ave. (between 91st and 92nd)
Hosts: #DegreesNYC and the Student Success Network
Contact: Trish Anderton, tanderton@goddard.org | 929-249-1449 or fill out this form to register as a member of the media
NEW YORK, NY — On September 27, education leaders and advocates from across New York City are gathering to continue their work to throw open the doors of higher education to all. The Changing the Odds Summit will build on last year’s Changing the Odds report, which showed that students who aren’t “on track” for higher education by the end of 9th grade face a steep uphill battle to completing a college degree.
Attendees will meet in panels and breakout groups to discuss ground breaking initiatives to work toward equity in NYC post-secondary pathways.
The stakes for our children—and our city—could not be higher. In 2021, 50% of white adults in NYC held a college degree compared to 25% of Native American adults, 34% of Black adults, and 28% of Hispanic adults. Meanwhile, adults who have a college degree are 24% more likely to be employed, 3.5 times less likely to live in poverty, and almost 5 times less likely to spend time in prison. The Summit will to highlight innovations that will equip students with the tools, resources, and supports they need to have a successful pathway and achieve long-term economic security.
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#DegreesNYC is a data-informed collective impact movement co-led by young people and education professionals to move to equity in education in NYC. #DegreesNYC was founded in 2016 by Goddard Riverside Options Center, Graduate NYC, and Young Invincibles. It is currently led by a small staff and its Youth Council, in close partnership with its core partners, Young Invincibles and the Research Alliance for New York City Schools, and over 50 member organizations. #DegreesNYC has five or more work groups, task forces, and committees at any given time, currently comprising about 150 people from 100 organizations.
Student Success Network first formed when a group of 15 nonprofit leaders in NYC decided it was time to shift their focus beyond traditional academic skills to include social-emotional learning skills they knew were critically important for student success. Influenced by collective impact approaches, these leaders created an SEL measurement tool so they could compare results across all their programs and identify promising practices. For eight years, SSN has been creating a solid foundation for enacting change by sharing experiences, scaling solutions, and leveraging the power of a community. They have formed deep roots with organizations and communities, built a toolbox focused on data-driven improvement, strengthened collective knowledge of SEL as a lever for improving student outcomes, and have remained committed to doing the work of being an anti-racist Network.