Organizations
The following organizations are all part of the Pathways to College Network working to improve college readiness and access for all students. Each of the organizations offers information and resources in this area. Many of the organizations also provide professional development opportunities for practitioners.
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)
AACC, the primary advocacy organization for the nation's community colleges, represents more than 1,100 associate’s degree-granting institutions and some 10 million students. In addition, AACC works with sectors of the higher education community, state and federal governments, and business and industry to serve the needs of students, colleges, and communities. Contact information:
- American Association of Community Colleges
One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 410
Washington, DC 20036
- Tel: (202) 728-0200
- Fax: (202) 833-2467
- Web: www.aacc.nche.edu
ACT, Inc.
ACT is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides more than 100 assessment, research, information, and program management services in education, career planning, and workforce development. ACT recently established a policy research unit for the purpose of conducting studies, both independently and in partnership with likeminded organizations, to inform policymakers and the general public on important issues in education by providing information that can directly enhance knowledge, dialogue, and decision-making. Contact information:
- ACT National Office
- 500 ACT Drive
- P.O. Box 168
- Iowa City, IA 52243-0168
- Tel: (319) 337-1000
- Fax: (319) 339-3021
- Web: www.act.org
American Council on Education (ACE)
ACE is dedicated to the belief that equal educational opportunity and a strong higher education system are essential cornerstones of a democratic society. ACE includes a network of 1,800 accredited, degree-granting colleges and universities and other education organizations. ACE is also a forum for the discussion of major issues related to higher education and has a highly visible role in policy research and policy advocacy. Contact information:
- American Council on Education
- One Dupont Circle NW
- Washington, DC 20036
- Tel: (202) 939-9300
- Web: www.acenet.edu
American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF)
AYPF is a non-partisan, nonprofit professional development organization based in Washington, DC. It provides varied learning opportunities for individuals working on policy issues affecting youth at the national, state, and local levels. AYPF's goal is to enable policymakers and their aides to be more effective in their professional duties and of greater service to Congress, the Administration, state legislatures, governors, and national organizations in the development, enactment, and implementation of sound policies affecting the nation's youth. Contact information:
- American Youth Policy Forum
- 1836 Jefferson Place, NW
- Washington, DC 20036
- Tel: (202) 775-9731
- Fax: (202) 775-9733
- Web: www.aypf.org
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
AAC&U is the leading national association devoted to advancing and strengthening liberal learning for all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Since its founding in 1915, AAC&U’s membership has grown to more than 1000 accredited public and private colleges and universities of every type and size. AAC&U has provided national leadership on the issue of diversity in higher education since 1971. AAC&U’s work in this area has focused primarily on higher education’s responsibilities in a diverse democracy and American pluralism, diversity, and justice-seeking as elements of a quality liberal education for all students. Contact information:
- AAC&U
- 1818 R Street NW
- Washington, DC 20009
- Tel: (202) 387-3760
- Fax: (202) 265-9532
- Web: www.aacu.org
The College Board
The College Board is a national, nonprofit membership association dedicated to preparing, inspiring, and connecting students to college and opportunity. The organization is committed to principles of equity and excellence, which is evident in all of its programs, services, and activities. The College Board has a network of 3,800 educational organizations; experience in broadening student access and success in college preparatory courses; financial aid planning services; a strong contingent of research and policy analysts; and teaching, learning, and assessment tools that contribute to the academic development of students. Contact information:
- College Board
- 45 Columbus Avenue
- New York, New York 10023
- Tel: (212) 713-8000
- Web: www.collegeboard.com
Council for Opportunity in Education
The Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance and defend the ideal of equal educational opportunity in higher education. The Council is dedicated to furthering the expansion of educational opportunities throughout the United States, and works in conjunction with colleges, universities, and agencies that host TRIO programs designed to help low-income students enter college and graduate. The Council provides access to hundreds of TRIO programs (i.e., Upward Bound, Talent Search, and others) across the country; has policy research and advocacy experience, particularly at the federal level; and tests new and promising interventions and acts as a national clearinghouse. Contact information:
- Council for Opportunity in Education
- 1025 Vermont Avenue, NW
- Suite 900
- Washington, DC 20005
- Tel: (202) 347-7430
- Web: www.trioprograms.org
Education Commission of the States (ECS)
ECS is a national, nonprofit organization that helps governors, legislators, state education officials, and others identify, develop, and implement policies to improve student learning at all levels. The organization helps state leaders identify, develop, and implement public policy for education that addresses current and future needs of a learning society. ECS has an extensive track record of building action-oriented collaborations and has direct access to governors, state legislators, chief state school officers, state higher education executive officers, school board and board of regent members, and other policy leaders. Contact information:
- Education Commission of the States
- 700 Broadway
- Suite 1200
- Denver, CO 80203-3460
- Tel: (303) 299-3600
- Web: www.ecs.org
Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL)
The mission of IEL is to improve education – and the lives of children and their families –through positive and visionary change. IEL brings together diverse constituencies and empowers leaders with knowledge and applicable ideas. IEL fulfills its mission by building the capacity of future education leaders through leadership development programs; helping to improve schools, through the National Clearinghouse for Comprehensive School Reform, the National Forum on the American High School, and the Coalition for Community Schools; and increasing the capacity of decision makers to make policies and create initiatives for children and young people through the IEL Policy Exchange. Contact information:
- Institute for Educational Leadership
- 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW
- Suite 310
- Washington, DC 20036
- Tel: (202) 822-8405
- Web: www.iel.org
National Urban League
The National Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. One primary strategy for pursuing its mission – to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity and power, and civil rights – is by ensuring that African American children are well educated and equipped for economic self-reliance in the 21st century. Contact information:
- National Urban League
- 120 Wall Street
- New York, NY 10005
- Tel: (212) 558-5300
- Web: www.nul.org
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)
Committed to social justice, the NAACP's principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of minority group citizens of the United States and eliminate racial prejudice. Its network of more than 2,200 local branches, state conferences, college chapters, and youth councils covering 50 states, the District of Columbia, Japan, and Germany allows the NAACP to effectively galvanize the support needed to address educational issues in the communities most challenged and in need. Contact information:
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
- 4805 Mount Hope Drive
- Bathhouse, MD 21215
- Tel: (410) 358-8900
- Web: www.naacp.org
National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
NACAC is an education association whose mission is to support and advance the work of both secondary school and college admission counselors as they help students realize their full educational potential, with particular emphasis on the transition from secondary schools to colleges and universities. This includes NACAC's work with the annual Admission Trends Survey and its work with several other organizations on the National School Counseling Collaborative, which supports qualitative and quantitative research on student outcomes, academic achievement, and effectiveness of school counseling programs, and improving school counseling. Contact information:
- National Association for College Admission Counseling
- 1631 Prince Street
- Alexandria, VA 22314-2818
- Tel: (703) 836-2222
- Web: www.nacac.com
National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)
NASSP is a professional organization with a membership of nearly 40,000 middle and high school principals, assistant principals, and aspiring principals from the U.S. and abroad. NASSP focuses on promoting excellence in school leadership and works to advance middle and high school education. The Trust to Reach Education Excellence (TREE), the foundation of NASSP, promotes equity and excellence in student achievement for disadvantaged youth and their schools. Besides a national network of 50 state affiliates, NASSP has the ability to disseminate best practices through publications, conferences, and workshops, as well as the ability to link college outreach programs to day-to-day school experiences. Contact information:
- National Association of Secondary School Principals
- 1904 Association Drive
- Reston, VA 20191-1537
- Tel: (703) 860-0200
- Web: www.nassp.org
National College Access Network (NCAN)
NCAN is an organization comprising members who are committed to helping disadvantaged children to learn about, aspire to prepare for, apply to, and enter college. The focus of NCAN's work involves supporting established financial aid advising across the United States. This support may take the form of resource development from the private sector for member programs as well as various other membership services. NCAN also assists communities that wish to replicate existing college access programs. NCAN has a network of programs with experience in leveraging local resources to support youth who aspire to postsecondary education. Contact information:
- National College Access Network
- 1422 Euclid Avenue
- Suite 1548
- Cleveland, OH 44115
- Tel: (216) 241-6122
- Web: www.collegeaccess.org
National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP)
NCCEP brings together colleges and universities with local schools, government, businesses, and community-based organizations to foster programs to increase educational opportunities for low-income and first-generation college students. To accomplish its goals, NCCEP builds and supports broad-based partnerships, linking schools and communities and using researching findings to create successful frameworks for action. Contact information:
- National Council for Community and Education Partnerships
- 1400 20th Street, NW, #116
- Washington, DC 20036
- Tel: (202) 530-1135
- Fax: (202) 530-0809
- Web: www.edpartnerships.org
Office of Federal TRIO Programs
The Federal TRIO Programs are educational opportunity outreach programs designed to motivate and support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. TRIO includes six outreach and support programs targeted to serve and assist low-income, first-generation college, and disabled students to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to post-baccalaureate programs. Contact information:
Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL)
PREL is a nonprofit corporation whose work provides resources and products developed to promote educational excellence for children, youth, and adults, particularly in multicultural and multilingual environments. PREL operates 1 of 10 regional educational laboratory programs, which are supported by the U.S. Department of Education, and provides a wide array of services to the Pacific region. This includes helping Pacific schools by providing research, development opportunities, training, technical assistance, information resources, dissemination, and evaluation services. Contact information:
- Pacific Resources for Education and Learning
- 900 Fort Street Mall, Suite 1300
- Honolulu, HI 96813
- Tel: (808) 441-1300
- Fax: (808) 441-1385
- Web: www.prel.org
Project GRAD
Project GRAD is a nonprofit K-16 school reform model that is currently underway in 10 school districts across the country. The mission of the program is to ensure a quality public education for all children in economically disadvantaged communities to increase high school graduation rates and prepare graduates to be successful in college. Contact information:
Roundtable, Inc.
Roundtable, Inc. is a production company that uses its high-visibility media projects to help build what has come to be called “social capital.” Combining television, radio, Web, books, and supporting print with thoughtful partnerships among institutions of civil society across the country, Roundtable, Inc. is able to ensure that popular media projects reach deeply into communities. In conjunction with productions, they coordinate workshops, panel discussions, screenings, and events to make social mission media have an impact. Contact information:
State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO)
SHEEO is a nonprofit, national association of the chief executive officers serving statewide coordinating boards and governing boards of postsecondary education. SHEEO's mission is to help the states develop and sustain excellent systems of higher education. The organization also endorses and conducts studies and projects that advance quality higher education; it focuses particular attention on K-16 issues related to preparation, participation, access, and diversity. Contact information:
- State Higher Education Executive Officers
- 700 Broadway
- Suite 1200
- Denver, CO 80203
- Tel: (303) 299-3685
- Web: www.sheeo.org
The Education Resources Institute (TERI)
TERI is a private, not-for-profit organization that provides education financing and information services to students and their families. TERI supports a number of activities nationwide that assist individuals in obtaining information and counseling about higher education opportunities and provides people of all backgrounds with access to educational programs that will enhance the quality of their lives. TERI has significant experience in providing college planning information and counseling, establishing a national network of college access centers, and organizing national conferences of college outreach practitioners. In addition, TERI manages a national database of more than 300 college access programs, has engaged in policy advocacy work, and has managed large grants. Contact information:
- The Education Resources Institute
- 31 St. James Avenue
- Boston, MA 02116
- Tel: (800) 255-8374
- Web: www.teri.org
University of California—Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships
The University of California’s pre-collegiate student academic development and P-16 improvement efforts are aimed at bolstering academic performance in California’s schools and better preparing students for college. Through P-16 Regional Intersegmental Alliances and three statewide pre-collegiate student academic development programs—The Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA), and The Puente Project—the University of California enhances student preparation for college as well as teaching, curriculum, and other services that affect a student’s postsecondary education options. Contact information:
- University of California
- Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships
- 1111 Franklin Street
- 9th Floor
- Oakland, CA 94607
- Tel: (510) 987-9504
- Web: www.universityofcalifornia.edu
Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE)
WICHE is a regional organization and an interstate compact created by formal legislative action of the states and the U.S. Congress. The organization facilitates resource sharing among the higher education systems of the West and focuses on expanding educational access and excellence. WICHE has a network of institutions in 15 western states and experience in promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing, and sound public policy among member states and institutions. Contact information:
- Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
- P.O. Box 9752
- 1540 30th Street
- Boulder, CO 80301
- Tel: (303) 541-0200
- Web: www.wiche.edu/
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