Reflecting on Progress and Partnerships: The National Partnership for Student Success Summit

On Nov 1, 2023, we had the opportunity to attend the National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Summit held at the US Department of Education in Washington, DC. The summit was a celebration of the progress achieved by NPSS, initiated following President Biden’s call to action in July 2022 to gather experienced organizations to recruit, train, and engage an additional 250,000 caring adults serving as tutors, mentors, and student success coaches for students.

NPSS, a public-private partnership, aims to provide essential support to help our students thrive academically and beyond. It acknowledges the immense potential of our country’s students but recognizes the need for additional caring adults both inside and outside schools, especially amid the educational and mental health challenges amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rather than creating new supports, NPSS focuses on organizing and coordinating existing partners, locally and nationally. The goal is to unify efforts, share best practices, and direct everyone towards a common goal—a collective, research-backed initiative dedicated to the success of America’s students.  MENTOR is an NPSS Partner in providing Technical Assistance to organizations employing mentoring strategies to support NPSS goals.

We were impressed by the significant progress made thus far, with 187,000 additional individuals involved in schools, and more comprehensive reports on improvements expected soon. At the event, leaders like AmeriCorps CEO Michael Smith and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona showcased the extensive support and potential when various stakeholders collaborate.

Many insights were gained. We learned about the distinction between high-impact tutoring, a Stanford University-endorsed evidence-based model, and standard tutoring—a parallel to our distinction between high-quality mentoring and other mentoring approaches. Additionally, leveraging federal work-study dollars to employ college students as tutors or mentors in community-based programs was highlighted, offering potential implications for our own initiatives and our partners.

The summit also emphasized addressing chronic absences in schools, showcasing the Success Mentors initiative—an evidence-based intervention that MENTOR IR had the opportunity to collaborated on with the School District of Philadelphia a few years back—as a viable solution.

It was heartening to reconnect with MENTOR colleagues and affiliates from Mentor MD/DC and former colleagues. Events like these underscore the significance of stepping away from daily tasks to engage in broader discussions and partnerships. Witnessing the dedication and intelligence of those working towards student success was inspiring, reinforcing the importance of such gatherings, whether local or national, in revitalizing our efforts.

The NPSS Summit illuminated not only the progress made but also the collective wisdom and collaboration that drive initiatives beyond mentoring, making it clear that such engagements are vital for rejuvenating our commitment towards student success.