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Nonprofit & Business Leaders | Families

Business and community leaders can bolster advocacy efforts and enable swift and creative action on behalf of Black student

Black students strengthen the vitality of communities

By working collaboratively with educators and policymakers, community members can help ensure that Black students receive the opportunities and encouragement they need to succeed. This extends to advocating inside the classroom through student-centered teaching practices.

Explore practical strategies for engaging with schools, advocating for resources, and connecting with community organizations that can provide additional support for Black students.

Working together, we can increase employment opportunities in high-demand fields for Black students:

Representation of Black employees in the STEM workforce, nationally
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The unemployment rate for Black workers in Florida is 5.4%, more than double that of white workers

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We can and must change these outcomes for Black students.

It’s Time to Get R.E.A.L.
about Florida Student Success

Real Transparency and True Affordability

We must focus not only on expanding need-based aid, but also on making more visible the bottom-line cost students will pay, based on a realistic assessment of what students can reasonably afford.

Direct business and community organization investments in Black students not only increase student success, but also improve broader community outcomes.

With the current financial aid system, Black students are accumulating student loan debt at much higher rates than their white counterparts. In 2019-20, 17% of Black bachelor’s degree recipients borrowed at least $50,000 for their undergraduate program, compared to only 10% of white graduates. In 2019-20, only 13% of Black bachelor’s degree recipients left with no debt, compared to 38% of white graduates.

To provide real transparency and true affordability, community members should consider the following:

Recommendations

  • Support employer-provided tuition benefits to reduce employee turnover and increase employee retention and advancement.
  • Raise funds to provide targeted scholarships for high-demand fields and promote them to Black students.
  • Advocate for new and increased investments in student financial aid, grants, and other policies that promote valuable pathways for Black students and other underrepresented students.
  • Provide financial aid and scholarship application assistance to Black students.

REAL Actions

Ensured Success Through Shared Ownership

At each level— state, system, and institutional—we must create mechanisms to support Black students and ensure shared accountability for their success in and beyond their postsecondary experiences.

Strategic partnerships between businesses and higher education institutions demonstrate the power of shared ownership and collective success. At historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominately white institutions alike, Black students benefit from scholarship funding, paid internships, mentorship and educational programming that enhance their education experience and increase their career opportunities. At the same time, businesses gain access to a diverse pool of talented graduates who can drive innovation and business growth. While HBCU partnership provides a strong model, similar partnerships and intentionality must be made at all postsecondary institutions to ensure Black students, and all students, receive the resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive.

To ensure success through shared ownership, community members should consider the following:

Recommendations

  • Raise awareness of institutions serving Black students through programmatic partnership and financial support.
  • Encourage community involvement and collaboration between PreK-12 and postsecondary education to create effective and lasting strategies that promote excellence among Black students.
  • Undertake advocacy efforts with leaders from community organizations and business associations such as chambers of commerce and embed a focus on Black students into strategic objectives.
  • Develop targeted outreach programs to inform Black students and their families about dual enrollment opportunities, eligibility criteria, and the benefits of participating in these programs.

REAL Actions

  • Asbury Automotive Group started their partnership with HBCU Change in 2021 to help raise funds for historically underfunded public and private colleges and universities and is committed to employing HBCU graduates.
  • Big Sister Little Sister, is a national mentoring program that promotes life skills, wellness, principles of self with a focus on personal and professional development. This organization partners with multiple Florida higher education institutions.
  • The National Society of Black Women in Medicine is a multi-disciplined organization that works to increase the recruitment and retention of Black women pursuing broad careers in medicine, while simultaneously promoting the advancement of those already established in these fields.

Academic and Social Supports that Create a Sense of Belonging

Community members must work with universities and education systems to proactively consider the disproportionate challenges facing Black students inside and outside the classroom by developing supports and connecting them to community resources.

These efforts will offer opportunities to provide robust academic advising that keeps students on track toward graduation, to clear pathways to high-wage, high-demand careers that align to industry needs, to support systems to address financial, mental and social challenges, and to a campus culture that fosters respect, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.

Business and community leaders play a pivotal role in mobilizing partners to provide mentorship, career exposure, and networking opportunities that connect Black students with real-world experiences and confidence to pursue their career goals.

To develop academic and social supports that create a sense of belonging, community members should consider the following:

Recommendations

  • Mentor current Black students through formal and informal means.
  • Engage philanthropic organizations to invest in broad community partnerships focused on improving Black student outcomes using the Get R.E.A.L. framework as a guide.
  • Partner with colleges and universities to integrate the perspectives and services of local human services organizations.
  • Include Black students and Black-led organizations in the design of their company-wide partnerships with colleges and universities.
  • Offer paid internships to provide career-connected experiences and develop a pipeline for Black student graduates entering the workforce.
  • Support the needs of faculty working to deliver culturally responsive pedagogy and trauma-informed teaching practices.
  • Expand apprenticeship programs and implement targeted outreach to prospective Black students.

REAL Actions

  • Take Stock in Children offers wraparound services for secondary and postsecondary students in underserved, low-income areas, including mentoring, college readiness and success coaching, and scholarships.
  • The Crockett Foundation (Broward County) focuses on early exposure to STEM/STEAM education and innovation and leveraging individual and community resources to strengthen family capacity.
  • The Education Equalizer Foundation  empowers underserved middle and high school students, along with their families, by providing critical support on the path to higher education. Their work elevate the needs of students from underserved backgrounds through college admissions guidance, scholarship support, mentorship, and career planning.
  • Urban League of Broward County’s Education and Youth Development Programs provide young people with the critical skills they need to excel academically, avoid at-risk behavior, and become engaged members of their communities. Tutoring, college preparation, and leadership development are some of the many educational advancement tools offered.

Learner-Centered Teaching Practices for Black Students

Teaching practices should center students’ lived experiences, perspectives, strengths, and needs as a grounding for learning.

Community members can further support Black students working to complete their postsecondary credential by providing impactful, experiential learning opportunities.

To strengthen learner-centered teaching practices for Black students, community members should consider the following:

Recommendations

  • Collaborate with local communities and families to understand the unique challenges faced by Black students and involve them in decision-making processes.

REAL Actions

  • FutureMakers Coalition is a collective impact initiative working to help Southwest Floridians earn the high-quality credentials needed to enter the workforce. Their target population includes traditional-age students who are facing significant barriers to education beyond high school, adults with no education beyond high school, and adults who started a degree or certificate program but never finished.
  • The goal of the Florida Keys Black Educator Initiative is to bridge the gap between Black students, constituting 12% of the student body, and Black teachers, currently representing only 3% of educators.
  • Florida Atlantic University’s Office of Family Engagement keeps families connected throughout the stages of their students’ college careers through newsletters, social media, and ongoing family training.