‘R U on Track for College?’ Texting a New Strategy

Article: Education Week

As educators look for ways to keep high school seniors on track for college and to avoid the “summer melt” that leads some astray in the months after they graduate, a new strategy is gaining ground: texting.

This year, West Virginia launched a pilot program that alerts students about deadlines for financial aid, registration, and student orientation, among other matters, with personalized messages on their mobile phones. The texting initiative targets students from low-income families—especially those set to become the first in their families to attend college.

It begins in January of students’ senior year and continues into the summer and even through the freshman year of college. After getting a text reminder, a student may contact a counselor at his or her high school or on campus for more personal, one-on-one assistance. Read the full story »