One of the nation’s largest school districts, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) just outside of Washington, D.C., just announced that beginning this spring, all 29 high schools in the county will launch the PeerForward program.
“We recognize that graduating our high schools is not the end of the road for our students; rather, high school is the springboard to college and career. That’s why it is imperative that we provide all of the County’s high schools with PeerForward’s college access program,” explained Dr. Sito Narcisse, Associate Superintendent at Prince George’s County Public Schools. “We have a long successful history with PeerForward, and it promises to propel so many more of our students to realize their true potential.”
Prince Georges County is recognized as a bellwether school district for its culture of innovation, size and proximity to the Nation’s Capital. The embrace of PeerForward and confidence in its students to increase college enrollment for their peers further demonstrates that leadership.
The district-wide adoption of PeerForward is a trend happening across the country, validating the PeerForward strategy and model. The Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) is even offering to provide its state’s high schools with $5,000 toward the cost of bringing the PeerForward program to their students. Results like what Michigan’s Hillsdale High School experienced, FAFSA completion rates jumping from 53 percent to 75 percent, make a clear case why schools need PeerForward. Wytrice Harris of Osborn Collegiate Academies in Michigan works with PeerForward and explained, “The students trained by PeerForward have made such a difference in our school. Watching them work with the rest of the students – almost as surrogate counselors – has made me understand what a valuable resource I have. They have created a real culture of college-going.”
