SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Graduation Alliance, a leader in dropout prevention, dropout recovery and career preparation programs for students of all ages, announced today an expansion of its services through an acquisition of AdvancePath Academics.
The union brings together best practice- and evidence-based solutions that provide opportunities for students who have struggled in traditional academic settings. More than 419,000 students have been served by the combined company since 2005.
“There is no one perfect model for overcoming the obstacles that keep people from achieving their academic goals,” Graduation Alliance CEO Ron Klausner said. “There are, however, some models that have proven successful for specific groups of students. Today we bring together two organizations with highly complementary approaches and strong, demonstrated efficacy.”
Since 2007, Graduation Alliance has provided online education, intensive support services and workforce preparation options to school districts, states, community colleges and workforce investment boards across the country. Graduation Alliance specializes in locating, re-engaging and educating these students, who enroll in programs to earn a high school diploma and receive industry credentials.
Since 2005, AdvancePath Academics has worked with school district partners to create and manage place-based academies for high school students who are generally over-age and credit deficient.
“What really makes sense about merging these two organizations is that they share a deep passion for helping public educators and all students get the educational opportunities they need and deserve,” AdvancePath Executive Chairman John Murray said. “Every day both organizations see that what we do not only makes a difference in the lives of our students but also in the lives of their families – it is a truly noble cause.”
The two organizations have worked with more than 600 public schools, districts and community colleges across the nation to support students who need additional help reaching their academic goals. Specialization in research-based, non-cognitive “soft skills” development is a noted strength of both organizations and will continue to be a vital part of the combined company’s approach to serving students.
"It's encouraging to see such dedication, on the part of everyone involved in this union, to the role that social and emotional skill-building can and should play in the lives of students," said Scott Solberg, the associate dean of research at the Boston University School of Education and the chief research officer for ScholarCentric, which merged with AdvancePath in 2015 and will now become part of the Graduation Alliance spectrum of services. "Knowledge-building is vital, but it's not very useful if students aren't also given support and instilled with confidence. All of these organizations understand and embrace that — which is why this makes so much sense for all of our students."
About Graduation Alliance
Since 2007, Graduation Alliance has given schools and communities across the nation the resources and support needed to help individuals reach their educational and career goals. In partnership with school districts, local governments, non-profits, workforce development boards and community colleges, Graduation Alliance develops highly effective alternative education and workforce training programs. As an organization, Graduation Alliance embraces principles of social entrepreneurship and is supported by backers, including New Markets Venture Partners, who believe in always putting students first. For more information about Graduation Alliance, visit graduationalliance.com.
