Gates Foundation Grants $4.7 Million For SUNY Early College High School Partnerships

Albany – The State University of New York today announced that ten SUNY campuses have been awarded grants under a $6 million dollar initiative from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The “Smart Scholars” program will facilitate the creation of 11 Early College High Schools across New York State, eight of which are SUNY partnerships.

 Early College High Schools play an important role in the education pipeline, allowing students to accelerate their high school courses while earning college credit. These partnerships are designed to increase high school graduation as well as college completion rates among disadvantaged students.

“Smart Scholars” is an excellent example of the big ideas SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher is seeking as part of SUNY’s strategic planning process, specifically in regard to the education pipeline, one of seven major themes.

 “We would like to thank the Gates Foundation, Governor Paterson, and the New York State Board of Regents for this historic opportunity for children in our state,” said Chancellor Zimpher. “Through this partnership with CUNY, independent colleges and local school districts, SUNY is well positioned to take on a leadership role for New York’s education pipeline. By working with schools serving students in some of our most economically challenged regions, SUNY will have an important role in helping more students succeed in high school and beyond.”

 In addition, SUNY, in partnership with EdWorks of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded $500,000 to facilitate the development of the “Smart Scholars” program statewide. The SUNY/EdWorks partnership brings together an extraordinary array of resources and experiences, and a shared commitment to using research-based practices to make measurable improvements in the number of students who attend and complete college, especially among those historically underrepresented in the college population.

 SUNY campuses partnering with this initiative include University at Albany, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Erie County Community College, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Hudson Valley Community College, Monroe Community College, College at Old Westbury, Onondaga Community College, Schenectady County Community College, and Westchester Community College.