Wait a minute! What in the world am I thinking? Figuring out a solution to the challenges in the education system? Who am I kidding? What could I possibly do or devise that could meaningfully address the startling reality of what’s occurring?

33% of high school students will drop out, 50% when poverty is a factor
Only 51% of college students will graduate within 5 years.
The cost of higher education grew 439% from 1982-2007 and continues to rise.

Just read any of the reports out there such as The Silent Epidemic, by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation www.gatesfoundation.org, or Student Success: Understanding Graduation and Persistence Rates by the American Council on Education www.acenet.edu and you’ll quickly see the enormity of the challenge.

Forget the research and just think about a student or person you know, or perhaps look a little closer to home. How many of us can honestly say that we were well prepared for college? We had a good understanding of what we wanted to do with our lives and could see exactly how to get their after completing our studies? How many can say they are using their degree in their career or are happy and fulfilled in their job? It’s a tall order.

The thing that is so interesting to me is that there are so many programs, products and services out their from personality profiles, test prep and college admissions coaches, tools that help match you to careers and match students to colleges, consulting firms that will help you with your resume, or land that dream job. With so many resources, why do we continue to face these challenges?

After careful reflection and several years of work as a consultant helping businesses address challenges that seemed to parallel some of the issues I was observing in the education system, I came to the conclusion that yes, a viable solution was evident.  Here were the key elements:

Students and parents need easy access to the best tools and resources available. Don’t make them go digging around for it. Do the research, screening and vetting for them and put it at their finger tips.
Give them a very structured, detailed guide. A plan for every year starting in high school and continuing into their professional career. A comprehensive academic and career performance management system. Make recommendations, present options, remind them, coach them. Again, don’t make them have to work for it or pay through the nose for it. Put it at their finger tips.
Make it personal. No one size fits all. There are so many alternative education programs from secondary education through post secondary. Make the journey personal for each individual.
Provide all of this for free and put it on the web! Eliminate some of the biggest barriers, poverty, geographic constraints, stigma, etc.
Drive the no-cost model through an IT enabled service delivery model and a win-win business model (huh? more on this one at a later date!)

And so that’s what I did. I developed a solution based on these elements that provides students with comprehensive support services that are personal, accessible, integrated, timely and extensible, increasing changes of success in high school, college and beyond.

So what do you think? I’ll be asking that question often as I share my thoughts on the pressing topics, issues, and concerns in the education space and what the team at EPP is doing to address them.

~Sarah, Founder & Dream Spinner