Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), Montgomery College (MC) and the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) announced Wednesday they are enhancing support with the goal of increasing college enrollment.
The Achieving College Excellence and Success (ACES) program is being revised to help those traditionally underrepresented in higher education to enroll in college and graduate.
ACES Pathway to Success is designed to help reduce financial burden and foster economic and social mobility for county residents. It increases cohort sizes from 60 to 75 per grade level beginning with the current 10th grade class.
The program offers academic support, financial literacy and planning, personal academic coaching, career readiness and development of career competencies needed to graduate college, according to MC officials.
ACES is in its 10th year. According to data from Montgomery College, MCPS students in the program graduate high school at a 99.3% rate as opposed to the district’s average graduation rate of 89.6%.
Also, 96% of ACES Scholars who attend USG graduate with a bachelors degree. They earn more credits per semester at Montgomery College as compared to the rest of the student body.
“After a decade of dedicated service and numerous success stories, it’s clear that our program works,” said Karen Callender-Price, executive director of ACES. “However, we recognize the need for a strategic realignment to better serve our students amidst the rising costs of higher education and the unique challenges they face.”
