College Track is a national college completion program that empowers students from underserved communities to graduate from college. From 9th grade through college graduation, our 10-year program removes the barriers that prevent students from earning their college degree by providing them with comprehensive academic support, leadership training, financial and college advising, and scholarships. We teach them the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. In four years, a College Track student receives support equivalent to one extra year of high school.

College Track started in 1997 with a cohort of 25 students in East Palo Alto. Today, we serve over 2,400 high school and college students in East Palo Alto, Oakland, San Francisco, New Orleans, Colorado, Los Angeles and Sacramento. By 2020, we will double the number of students we serve and produce nearly 1,000 college graduates. Last year, 96% of our high school seniors were accepted to four-year colleges and our college graduation rate is 2.5 times the national average for low-income students.

New Orleans is a strong and vibrant city, known for its charisma and resilience. Though much of the physical wreckage of Hurricane Katrina is repaired, the trauma and economic damage remain still today. A strong education can help students lead their city to continued recovery and incredible greatness, but in New Orleans in 2012, the most common school rating by the Louisiana Department of Education was an “F.” Schools with this score have between 0 and 38 percent of their students performing at grade level.

College Track New Orleans is doing its best to help students not just meet grade level, but exceed it. We want our scholars to make it through high school and college graduation with strong extracurricular and academic skills. Under the leadership of Regional Director Mike Woodward, we currently serve nearly 300 students in the Greater New Orleans Area.