About the GRAD Partnership
The GRAD Partnership brings together twelve organizations to partner with schools, districts, states, and local community organizations to create the conditions needed to bring the use of evidence-based student success systems from a new practice to a common practice. This national initiative encourages and supports schools in efforts to use high quality student success systems that empower schools to graduate all students ready for the future.
The GRAD Partnership aims to foster increased agency, belonging, and connectedness both in classrooms and within communities. Student success systems bring together the integration of actionable data, supportive relationships, and student-centered mindsets. By working collaboratively, student success systems enable schools to design and implement systematic approaches to address school-wide achievement patterns and meet individual student needs.
Rural Schools Cohort
Rural Schools Collaborative facilitates the Rural Schools Cohort of the GRAD Partnership, convening Regional Hub partners who serve as intermediaries between the GRAD Partnership and school districts. These intermediaries play a critical role in the GRAD Partnership, recruiting schools to join, providing technical assistance on the implementation of student success systems, conducting data collection, fostering relationships between schools, and helping to shine a spotlight on the schools’ accomplishments.
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Arizona Rural Schools Association
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Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning | University of Indianapolis
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Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
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East Carolina University's Rural Education Institute
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Missouri State University's Center for Rural Education
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North State Together
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University of West Alabama's Center for Rural Education
Rural Cohort Intermediaries:
The Arizona Rural Schools Association (RSC Arizona Regional Hub) joined the GRAD Partnership in 2024. Led by GRAD Partnership Coordinator and 2023 Rural Teacher of the Year Ty White, the Arizona Rural Schools Association supports ten unique Arizona schools on their journey to develop and enhance student success systems. The following schools make up the Arizona contingent of the GRAD Partnership Rural Cohort:
Chino Valley High School (Chino Valley, Az)
Dishchii'bikoh Community School (Cibecue, Az)
Duncan High School (Duncan, Az)
Globe High School (Globe, Az)
Hayden High School (Winkelman, Az)
Morenci High School (Morenci, Az)
San Simon School (San Simon, Az)
Theodore Roosevelt School (Ft. Apache, Az)
Valley Union High School (Elfrida, Az)
RSC Southeast Regional Hub partners at ECU’s Rural Education Institute have long been leaders in assisting schools throughout eastern North Carolina, and added to their network of support by joining the GRAD Partnership in 2024. The GRAD Parnership’s work with rural North Carolina schools is led by Jaqueline Allen, a retired school counselor and tireless advocate for the wellbeing of rural students. ECU works with the following ten schools:
Ayden-Grifton HS (Ayden, NC)
Farmville Central HS (Farmville, NC)
Greene Central HS (Snow Hill, NC)
JH Rose HS (Greenville, NC)
Kinston HS (Kinston, NC)
Martin County High School (Williamston, NC)
Northside HS (Pinetown, NC)
North Pitt HS (Bethel, NC)
Southside HS (Chocowinity, NC)
Southwest Edgecombe HS (Pinetops, NC)
Joining in 2024, Missouri State University’s (MSU) Center for Rural Education partners with ten schools across southwestern Missouri in RSC’s Missouri Regional Hub. Drs. Rhonda Bishop and Denise Cunningham, co-directors of the MSU Center for Rural Education, alongside MSU GRAD Partnership liaison Russ Brock, collaborate with the following schools on implementing student success systems in Missouri:
Alton (Alton, MO)
Cassville (Cassville, MO)
Couch (Myrtle, MO)
Eminence (Eminence, MO)
Fair Play (Fair Play, MO)
Humansville (Humansville, MO)
Lutie (Theodosia, MO)
McDonald County (Anderson, MO)
Pleasant Hope (Pleasant Hope, MO)
Shell Knob #78 (Shell Knob, MO)
Joining in 2022, RSC Northern California Regional Hub partners at North State Together have been working to increase student agency, belonging, and connectedness in far northern California for the past three years. Their work is led by Northern California Regional Hub Contact, GRAD Partnership Lead & RSC Board Member Susan Schroth. The following schools represent the North State GRAD Partnership group:
Anderson High School - Shasta College TRIO (Anderson, CA)
Burney Junior Senior High School (Burney, CA)
Dunsmuir High School (Dunsmuir, CA)
Fall River Junior Senior High School (McArthur, CA)
Gateway to College at Shasta College (Redding, CA)
Red Bluff High School (Red Bluff, CA)
Redding School of the Arts (Redding, CA)
Southern Trinity High School (Mad River, CA)
Tulelake High School (Tulelake, CA)
West Valley Early College High School – Shasta College TRIO (Cottonwood, CA)
Annah Rogers, GRAD Partnership lead for RSC’s Black Belt Regional Hub at The University of West Alabama, leads the GRAD Partnership work in rural Alabama and Mississippi. The following schools have been working with the GRAD Partnership since 2021, pioneering new ways to provide critical support and set their students’ up for postsecondary success:
A.L. Johnson High School (Thomaston, AL)
Demopolis High School (Demopolis, AL)
Francis Marion School (Marion, AL)
Hale County High School (Moundville, AL)
Greensboro High School (Greensboro, AL)
Kemper County High School (De Kalb, MS)
Pickens County High School (Reform, AL)
Southeast Lauderdale High School (Meridian, MS)
Sumter Central High School (York, AL)
University Charter School (Livingston, AL)
The latest in GRAD Partnership
News & Stories
Elevating Student Voice: GRAD Partnership Storytelling Contest in the Black Belt, Northern California
RSC GRAD Partnership Leads Susan Schroth and Annah Rogers pioneered a storytelling contest at several high schools in rural Alabama, Mississippi, and California.
Where Personal Experience Meets Professional Purpose: Our Journey with GRAD Partnership
As the Community Foundation steps into its role as the backbone organization for GRAD Partnership in the Dubuque, Iowa region, they're not just implementing another program. They're leveraging their deep experience in collective impact to ensure this initiative takes root and flourishes.
Strong Relationships, Bright Futures: Humansville (MO) a Natural Fit for GRAD Partnership Rural Cohort
The RSC team recently visited Humansville (MO) School District to learn about how they are fostering student success.
Full Steam Ahead: Fair Play JAG Program Embraces GRAD Partnership
Fair Play School District (MO), one of ten Missouri schools to join the GRAD Partnership in 2024, has found success building student agency through the school’s JAG Program
Building Belonging: How a Rural Missouri Middle School Is Using Beta Club to Boost Connection, Confidence, and Community
Cassville (MO) Schools are focusing on their National Beta club to boost attendance and connection.
GRAD Partnership Rural Spotlight: Globe High School, AZ
At Globe High School in Arizona, a new GRAD Partnership school, history is still alive and being created every day.
Building on a Strong Foundation: Eastern North Carolina Schools Look Forward to GRAD Partnership
RSC visited three rural schools in North Carolina to learn about how the GRAD Partnership for Advancing Student Success Systems can elevate their work to foster positive post-secondary outcomes for all students.
GRAD Partnership Report Release: Educating America
Educating America: Progress and Challenges in Providing All Students with the Education Needed for Adult Success is the first in-depth analysis of the pandemic’s impact on high school graduation rates across the nation, including at the state and district levels.