MONROE — Monroe High School’s college bound students who are required to complete a series of tasks throughout the summer months doing things from finalizing financial aid to arranging campus housing, have it a little easier this summer.
Monroe High School is one of 13 schools in Wisconsin participating in Text Steps after they were chosen for a grant from Ascendium Education Group, who launched a $630,000 grant project aimed to help school districts who face “summer melt” from students who could benefit from reminders using a tool they’re familiar with: text messaging.
Monroe High School Counselor Lisa Davis said she heard of the program through an email group and she and principal Chris Medenwaldt looked further into the program they felt could benefit some students.
“I thought it would be a wonderful way to connect with our seniors and help them take that next step after high school,” Davis said.
She said that although Monroe wasn’t facing issues with students not completing those necessary tasks, she took it as an opportunity to connect.
Ascendium provided the district with guidelines, Davis said, and their templates were adjusted to fit Monroe. A Google survey was created and given to the senior class at the end of the school year, and they could choose whether to opt in to receive the messages.
Davis said the response was high for the program’s first year. Out of 140 seniors last year, 61 chose to participate. Those student plans were also diversified, Davis said, with some headed for four-year colleges, some two-year degrees or programs and others apprenticeships. Some even opted in because they were still uncertain about their plans.
The school and Davis work with a company to craft text messages sent to the students on a calendar schedule reflecting needs of their schools. They receive texts that ask questions like: Have you sent your final transcript? Students can respond with a “yes,” “no” or “I need help.”
Davis can login to see responses, questions, what students are saying and can respond directly. She can schedule in person meetings with some students who need some hands on support.
“It’s a good way to make sure they know what’s coming next and what they should be thinking about,” Davis said. “Even if it’s done — it’s nice for them to think ‘yep, I did that.’”
Other questions might ask more detailed questions, like “Do you have a meal plan through your college?” or “Did you meet the housing deadline?” One even asks about immunization records for those utilizing college dorms.
The response has been positive and has increased as the summer has progressed. Davis said the overall engagement in the last few weeks has risen to 50 percent. She’s setting up meetings with students who have reached out for help and said it’s been a positive process.
The Text Steps project is funded entirely through the grant.
According to a press release sent by Ascendium, research by Dr. Ben Castleman of the University of Virginia and others over more than a decade has proven this approach to be effective at reducing the number of students who “melt” away over the summer.
According to Joe O’Brien, Text Steps coordinator for the Sheboygan Area School District, there are 140 students currently receiving texts from Text Steps, and coordinators are actively engaging with around 70% of them.
The Madison Metropolitan School District worked with Ascendium to pilot the Text Steps concept in 2015, and has since continued the texting project on its own. The pilot helped Ascendium learn not only about the texting platform, but also about the system changes and school resources necessary to implement a texting program. Ascendium provides ongoing technical assistance to each district.
Other districts participating in Text Steps are Adams-Friendship, Antigo, Fort Atkinson, Green Bay, La Crosse, Racine, St. Francis, South Milwaukee, Watertown, West Allis–West Milwaukee and Wisconsin Rapids.
For more information about the projects, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org/community/strategy/scaling/text-steps.