Promise Programs: A Conversation with Dr. Martha Kanter

National trends in promise programs

Dr. Kanter: The growth has been from high school to college even in the last couple of years, not in San Antonio, but in many parts of the country; there has been a slight decline in high school students, and what’s been great about the growth is more students are finding out about promise [programs], and some of the promise programs are including the adult population. So it’s really exciting for us. We’re not in every state. Thirty-three states have taken the statewide promise, and we have 450 promise programs. We want to be up to over 500 in 2024.

Best practices across promise programs

Dr. Kanter: I think what the AlamoPROMISE is doing is right up at the top. In other words, every student is going to have the opportunity in your entire county and what we want is to have promise programs to be available beyond in some programs one high school to one college. We want students to have a range of options and we want to include all of the high school students that we can get in promise. … We really want to focus on the next generation coming up because they will lead this country moving forward. … One of my favorite [promise programs] is not only Tennessee but New Mexico. New Mexico just opened their promise [program] to everyone in the state. They are not just filling in the gap. They are going over and above to have what we call a first dollar program. Students are getting a Pell grant and getting a scholarship. I think what the AlamoPROMISE is doing is right up at the top. In other words, every student is going to have the opportunity in your entire county and what we want is to have promise programs to be available beyond in some programs one high school to one college. We want students to have a range of options and we want to include all of the high school students that we can get in promise. … We really want to focus on the next generation coming up because they will lead this country moving forward. … One of my favorite [promise programs] is not only Tennessee but New Mexico. New Mexico just opened their promise [program] to everyone in the state. They are not just filling in the gap. They are going over and above to have what we call a first dollar program. Students are getting a Pell grant and getting a scholarship.

The biggest challenges that promise programs face

Dr. Kanter: I call it promise pathways. What are the pathways that facilitate students to accelerate and not get stuck in any of the barriers that often get in the way? Money gets in the way, sometimes the needs of family and friends get in the way. A big thing that I study is confidence. Students often do not think they are confident, good enough to go to college, or don’t know anybody. … You’re one of the biggest, most comprehensive, most forward-thinking places. That’s what we want to do, that’s the trend. People learning from each other.

Lugo: Confidence is key in students and I see it all the time in my peers and how they chose not to go to college because they felt like there was not a path for them. I truly believe when the counselors visit the high schools and you see them, their excitement and their encouragement toward students makes students more motivated to do it. That’s just vital for the students, especially first generation college students.