If we are to succeed at achieving our mission, we must advance the academic preparedness of all students and foster high expectation, college-going cultures at all stages of the education experience.
Our goal is to invest, partner and lead efforts within our impact areas that result in more students graduating college and career ready, laying the foundation for success in earning a postsecondary certificate, license or degree.
Advancing Academic Preparedness
Arizona and Florida's preparedness challenges begin in the earliest years with the vast majority of young children entering kindergarten unprepared to succeed. And, at 69 percent or greater, both states' eighth graders are well below proficient in math and science.(2)
Helios' interest is to facilitate a comprehensive early learning system that prepares students for rigorous academic environments that improve preparedness and increase proficiency in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through greater relevance and improved classroom instruction.
Fostering a College-going Culture
Current projections estimate that more than 60 percent of the jobs of the future will require some form of postsecondary education.(3) Today, Arizona and Florida, at 34.1 percent and 34.6 percent respectively, trail the national average for adults, 25-64, with an Associate's degree or higher.(4) Although colleges and universities in both states have set bold goals to increase degree attainment, progress is slow and completion is an even bigger challenge for African-American, Hispanic, Native American, low-income and first-generation college students.
Preparing students to seize the opportunities ahead that a postsecondary certificate, license or degree will provide, begins by embedding college-going cultures from the earliest years through high school.
Helios' commitment is to foster high expectation, college-going environments for all students by increasing access to meaningful data about student performance and preparedness as well as the availability of information for students and families about the benefits of postsecondary education and their postsecondary pathways.
The Path to Long-term Impact
Helios' updated theories of change provide a roadmap to long-term impact and move us closer to ensuring individuals in Arizona and Florida have the opportunity to attend and are prepared to succeed in postsecondary education.
Third party research, market trends and our own experience have illuminated the critical importance of aligning our work to advance the academic preparedness of all students and foster high expectation cultures where every student is encouraged to pursue and is supported while achieving a postsecondary education.
Over time, more and more of the Foundation's initiatives will be designed to support these key objectives, impacting individuals, classrooms and entire systems along the way.
Visit the Theory of Change Infographics for each of our three Impact Areas:
