For more than 30 years, the Urban League has operated education programs in partnership with public education systems throughout the region.

BRIDGING

Program Description

The SCORE Entrepreneurship Program is a study skills, leadership development, and accelerated learning program that seeks to better prepare students to improve their performance on high stakes tests and increase the number of students who are prepared to attend college or pursue post-secondary careers or vocations.

• SCORE Program Fact Sheet (pdf)
• SCORE Program Foundation & Principles (pdf)
  

ACTIONS

Program Components

The Urban League’s Education program is comprised of the following components:

• SCORE Entrepreneur Program,
• Parent Support & Advocacy services,
• Parent Education and Empowerment activities,
• Public Policy, Research & Evaluation activities and
• Servant Leadership Development Learning Teams.

The SCORE Entrepreneur Program provides academic support for minority students with a GPA of 2.0 or better in grades 9-11 in the Hickman Mills C-1 School District. Support includes activities that improve test-taking and study skills, ACT/SAT Prep Classes, college planning assistance, tutorial assistance, small business development and entrepreneurship.

The SCORE Entrepreneur Program includes: a formal Selection, Application/Enrollment and Orientation process; full participation in specially developed classroom curricula that spans two semesters (see below); ACT/SAT prep classes; Community Impact Issues forums where students gain access to community leaders; and College Planning/Scholarship Assistance activities highlighted by a Minority Scholarship Fair conducted in collaboration with the Infinite Scholars Program.
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Semester One

A) Assessment and documentation of students’ skill levels and subject gains take place; B) Counseling and guidance sessions are held to help establish, monitor and achieve education and career goals; C) SCORE study skills training and transcript evaluations begin; D) Student Success Portfolios representing observable progress are started; and E) preparation to take the ACT takes place. Individual and Learning Team projects are assigned throughout the semester. Individualized Success Plans (ISPs) are used by the Educator/Student Coach to monitor student progress and establish ongoing goals for academic improvement/success.

Semester Two

The second semester introduces participating students to the concepts and principals of small business ownership, using curriculum of the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE). The “How to Start and Operate a Small Business” course is supported by a 50-chapter, 10 unit, hardbound full-color textbook. NFTE’s SCORE Entrepreneurial program reinforces core academic learning and meets national and state academic standards in math, language arts, economics, social studies, economics and entrepreneurship. While mastering basic and advanced academic concepts, students are introduced to real world budgeting, cash and financial management principals, and the art of negotiations and concessions; real world skills that will benefit them throughout their life-time. In addition, students have an opportunity to work in a small business during the school year. Students are monitored on a monthly basis using the Individualized Success Plans. Communication is ongoing between the Educator/Student Coach, student, parent and school personnel throughout both semesters. Data are collected to demonstrate effective factors leading to change on a normed measure using testimonials and student portfolios.
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1) Parent Support & Advocacy services: Under this EAS component, trained ombudsmen collaborate with parents and school system staff to ensure that instruction, program activities, and practices lead to academic success for all students. Ombudsmen serve as advocates for parents and address issues such as special education, Title I, and Supplemental Education Services. Services under this component include: a team of volunteer advocates trained in negotiation to develop win-win and outcome-oriented strategies; intervention by advocates on behalf of parents and students; referral service connecting parents to quality community and education resources;

2) Parent Education and Empowerment activities help parents from KCMO, KCK, and Hickman Mills School Districts enhance their ability to work with the schools and support the education process at home. Activities for parents include: Parent Trainer Certification Workshops, Literacy Fair, and Minority scholarship fair.

In February of each year, the League collaborates with the Infinite Scholars Program to sponsor a Minority Scholarship Fair for high school juniors and seniors in the region. Since the establishment of the partnership in 2004, more than $15 million dollars in scholarships has been awarded.

3) Public Policy, Research and Evaluation: In this phase, the EAS collects student achievement data, evaluates program effectiveness, researches educational reform initiatives within school systems, and compares benchmark data against best practices of public school systems locally and nationally. Also, a databank/resource library to link families with community resources to address their non-school needs is maintained.
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RESOURCES

Campaign Components and Highlights

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