Earn to Learn FL, Inc.

Organizational Overview

Since 2016, Earn to Learn FL has developed based on three core tenets: 1. Matched Savings for Education: Students and their families who income-qualify are eligible to deposit up to $500 into an Earn to Learn FL savings account each year. As matching funds are available, their savings are then matched 8:1 by Earn to Learn FL. This brings the combined available funds for financial assistance paid directly to an academic institution up to $4,500 per academic year. The funds are used for tuition, books, fees and other approved educational related expenses. 2. Near Peer Coaching for Postsecondary Success: Earn to Learn FL recruits, trains and deploys AmeriCorps members to provide near peer success coaching to economically disadvantaged students in the areas of postsecondary access, personal finance training, and career planning. Near Peer Coaching for Postsecondary Success supports student preparation for pursuit of career & technical education, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, or advanced degree. This program came online at Earn to Learn FL in August 2021 thanks to securing an AmeriCorps grant in partnership with Volunteer Florida. 3. Personal Finance Training: Earn to Learn FL provides a dynamic online personal finance training program designed to produce measurable and meaningful outcomes for both matched saving for education students and near peer success coaches.

Statement of Need

Earn to Learn FL targets economically disadvantaged students who will struggle to begin or complete their higher education. To increase diverse student participation, a targeted outreach plan is employed to reach high need students attending Title I schools. Focus will be placed on diverse student populations such as those most significantly represented in Florida such as Hispanic and Latino, Native American, and African American students. Nationally, the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics in 2018 reported the percentage of Hispanic students attending college is 17%, and African American students is 14%; the percentage of Native American students is .07%; and the percentage of white students fell from 84% to 58%. It will be our goal to increase those numbers for postsecondary non-degree awards (career & technical education), associate degrees, or bachelor’s degrees through the Near Peer Coaching for Postsecondary Success interventions. Research completed by the National Association for College Admission Counseling reports that counselors spend a total of 38 minutes per student, per year on college advising. The proposed interventions will provide a significant increase in individual support focused on high school students and their families. Each will gain skills to prepare, enroll, persist and graduate from higher education. Near Peer Success Coaches will provide critical support during key transition points during their educational process, encourage their enrollment in higher education, and encourage their persistence to complete on time, student debt free and career ready.