March 9, 2006

Universities put EduGuide in 8th graders' hands

Lansing, Mich. More than 150,000 Michigan 8th graders will receive an EduGuide this month with a key message: take steps now to prepare for college or you’ll waste a lot of your time, money and talent later. The publication, to be distributed free via school districts to all incoming 9th graders is an initiative that the state’s fifteen public universities believe will improve high school graduates’ preparedness for both college and the world of work – and increase Michigan’s college-going and college completion rates.

Having received positive feedback from Michigan students, parents and counselors subsequent to distribution last year of the inaugural edition of the publication, the universities teamed up this year with state’s departments of treasury, education, and labor and economic growth to further enhance the contents of the guide.

The EduGuide–High School Years is one in a series of three full-color magazines being given free to public, charter and private schools for all families of incoming elementary, middle and high school students. The publication will help families prepare children and young adults for success in college and careers, especially those families who haven’t participated in postsecondary education themselves. Contained in the EduGuide–High School Years is material written for 8th graders, parents and educational counselors to equip Michigan families to take critical core courses in high school, to save for college, to initiate positive partnerships with teachers, to encourage learning at home and outside of the classroom, and to successfully access financial aid.

A special feature contained within the high school edition of the EduGuide is the recommended core course of study as advocated by the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan. “Our public universities have long advocated that students should complete a challenging core course of study during the high school years to increase the likelihood of success after high school,” said Michael Boulus, executive director of the Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan. “The U.S. Department of Education has just released a study affirming the fact that the rigor of high school curriculum is the strongest indicator of whether he or she will earn a college degree, regardless of major.”

Setting high expectations for high school students through completion of a rigorous curriculum was a key recommendation of the Cherry Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth, and stronger curriculum requirements are currently being discussed by the Michigan Legislature. “The EduGuide is aimed at bolstering both college preparation and work readiness,” said Boulus. “As the Cherry Commission itself has proclaimed, the tradition of sorting students into ‘college-bound’ and ‘non-college-bound’ tracks is no longer relevant. All Michigan high school students should complete as many core courses as possible to prepare themselves for entry into college and ultimately, entry into the workforce.”

EduGuides are created by the Partnership for Learning, a nationally award-winning media and training nonprofit organization. The EduGuide–High School Edition is being made possible by a collaboration called College Goal consisting of the state’s 15 public universities, the Presidents Council, the Lumina Foundation, the Michigan Scholars Program, the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth, the Michigan Student Financial Aid Association and more than a dozen other organizations.

The EduGuide–High School Edition can be viewed at www.pcsum.org under the “prospective students” link. Additional information for families of all ages can be found at www.PartnershipForLearning.org.

The Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan, based in Lansing, is a nonprofit higher education association serving Michigan\'s 15 state universities. The primary mission of the Presidents Council is to advocate higher education as a public good and to promote its collective value in serving the public interest and the State of Michigan.