Overview
NorthStar Education Partners collaborated with Achieve Atlanta (AATL) to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to enhance their core services and expand their impact. Our partnership aimed to build on AATL’s success in supporting APS scholars and to chart a bold path forward.
Objectives
Achieve Atlanta partnered with NorthStar to:
- Conduct a comprehensive organizational assessment, synthesizing existing data and collecting new data to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and key strategic questions.
- Refine AATL’s theory of problem and theory of change, incorporating equity commitments to guide decision-making.
- Strengthen AATL’s core offerings in College Access and College Success by analyzing the college access landscape and current programmatic strengths and areas for improvement.
- Evaluate and define opportunities for growth and impact beyond APS, considering both internal and external expansion.
- Identify the necessary conditions for executing the strategic plan, including staffing, financial, and operational models.
Partner
Achieve Atlanta
Location: Atlanta, GA
Enrollment & Impact
Serving thousands of students in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS)
Mission Statement
To help Atlanta Public Schools students access, afford, and earn postsecondary credentials.
Key Activities & Deliverables
Organizational Assessment
- Conducted a comprehensive review of AATL’s current state, identifying key strengths and areas for improvement.
- Synthesized data from internal sources and external benchmarks to inform strategic planning.
Theory of Change and Equity Commitments
- Developed a refined theory of problem and theory of change, integrating equity commitments to guide strategic decisions.
Program Strategy
- Crafted strategies to strengthen College Access and College Success programs by addressing identified gaps and leveraging strengths.
Growth Strategy
- Evaluated potential for expanding AATL’s impact, both within APS and to surrounding districts.
- Developed a roadmap for scaling services, including necessary staffing and financial models.
Implementation Plan
- Created a detailed multi-year implementation plan with clear priorities, goals, and metrics for success.
- Designed tools and resources to support the ongoing execution of the strategic plan.
Outcomes
The collaboration resulted in a multi-year, board-approved strategic plan encompassing AATL’s academic, people, financial, and operational strategies. This plan guides all initiatives at Achieve Atlanta and has led to measurable improvements in academic outcomes, teacher development, retention, and overall organizational effectiveness.
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