Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD was one of this year’s TxCAN Pitch Competition’s finalists. Learn how CFBISD’s LAUNCH: Future Ready event tackles Summer Melt, by maximizing resources at the district level, paving the way for matriculation into higher education.

In the heart of the northeast Dallas border lies Carrolton-Farmers Branch ISD (CFBISD), a suburban school district dedicated to shaping the future of its students. At the forefront of their mission is the College, Career, and Military Readiness (CCMR) Department, a driving force in ensuring graduates are equipped for the journey ahead.

Their initiative, the LAUNCH: Future Ready event, which was a finalist at the 2023 TxCAN Pitch Competition, is an annual college preparation workshop that has been transforming the college enrollment experience for graduating seniors and their families.

The LAUNCH: Future Ready Event – A District-Wide Approach to Summer Melt
LAUNCH: Future Ready is not just an event; it’s a comprehensive workshop designed to support students through the college enrollment process. Originating during the COVID era to facilitate the district’s participation in the Dallas County Promise, a last-dollar scholarship covering tuition at partner colleges, LAUNCH has become a vital component for graduating seniors aiming to meet registration deadlines and maintain eligibility.

The event, aptly named “Learning About the University and College Hustle (LAUNCH)”, serves as a one-stop-shop for students and their families. It offers a myriad of services, including meeting with college representatives, receiving updated vaccinations, submitting paperwork. Participants also attend educational sessions covering crucial topics like Adulting 101, Course Registration, and Financial Aid eligibility review.

The goal is to connect students and parents with resources specific to the institution they will be attending and walk away registered for classes in the fall if they had not previously done so. This event is provided free of charge to students and is designed to provide differentiated levels of support to meet student and family needs in a familiar and central setting. The only potential additional costs for students might come from vaccination expenses, depending on their health coverage.

The Practice Benefit: Maximizing Resources
CFBISD has unlocked the potential to maximize resources by hosting LAUNCH as a district initiative rather than on a campus-by-campus basis.

Hosting LAUNCH at the district level allows CFBISD to tap into its own pool of skilled district staff. This eliminates the need for additional staff expenses that might be incurred if the event were organized at individual campuses. By utilizing existing resources, the district can allocate experienced professionals to lead the event without the constraints of campus-level staff contract dates. This not only streamlines the coordination but also ensures a more cohesive and unified approach to the entire college preparation workshop.

One standout advantage of district-wide coordination is the access to district-level National Student Clearinghouse enrollment data. CFBISD leverages this district-level data to identify institutions with high enrollment numbers among their graduates. This data-driven approach allows the district to strategically select colleges and universities that align with the preferences and choices of a significant portion of its student body. As a result, LAUNCH becomes a tailored experience, directly catering to the diverse aspirations of graduating seniors.

The district’s ability to select institutions based on enrollment data not only benefits the students but also strengthens partnerships with higher education institutions. By providing a centralized opportunity for admissions representatives to engage with a larger number of students, LAUNCH becomes an attractive prospect for colleges and universities. This approach simplifies logistics for higher education partners, allowing them to efficiently allocate resources and make a meaningful impact during the event. It fosters a collaborative environment where educational institutions and their district work hand in hand to support students in their transition to higher education.

How Your Team Can Implement
According to CFBISD, this program and practice can be replicated elsewhere with a dedicated district team to coordinate and organize the partnerships, vaccinations, required logistics, and the representatives needed to facilitate the workshop.
Their keys to success include timing, student and parent advertising, and priority higher education partnerships based on their student enrollment data.

• Timing- Hosting after graduation so students have access to their final transcripts which is a required step in the matriculation and enrollment process.
• Student & Parent Advertising- Consistent and frequent advertising to families while school is still in session, during graduation events, and post-graduation.
• Higher Education Partnerships – Identification and collaboration of a flagship higher education partner based on their student enrollment data.

Learn More
If you’re intrigued by the impact of the LAUNCH: Future Ready event and want to learn more about how your team can implement a similar initiative, reach out to Niki Fisher, CCMR Dean at Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD (fishern@cfbisd.edu) or Tina Jain, CCMR Dean at Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD (jaint@cfbisd.edu).