News

For Immediate Release
06/1/2021
Local Contact: John Everett, jeverett@coj.net, (904) 383-0439 
NLC Contact: Kat Maramba, Maramba@nlc.org, (202) 740-3069 
 
City of Jacksonville Partners with the National League of Cities to Address the Basic Needs of Local Postsecondary Students
 
[JACKSONVILLE, FL June 1] The City of Jacksonville is proud to announce their participation in a new peer-learning cohort led by the National League of Cities (NLC) to remove barriers to basic needs that often prevent college students from successfully completing postsecondary degrees, certificates or other credentials needed to gain access to rewarding careers. Jacksonville joins twelve other cities from across the nation to engage in monthly peer-to-peer virtual learning opportunities and receive tailored technical assistance from NLC’s staff and national content experts to help advance the city’s efforts in supporting local students.
 
“My administration and the amazing team at Kids Hope Alliance are focused on helping college students overcome barriers preventing them from graduation,” said Mayor Lenny Curry. “It is exciting to be one of twelve cities from across the nation to be selected for this cohort, providing us an opportunity to connect with peer communities, identify best practices, and develop key strategies to help young people in our city build successful lives and careers”
 
The City of Jacksonville, in collaboration with private and public partners, is working to minimize barriers to post-secondary success through four key strategies designed to support disadvantaged youth and young adults preparing for the transition to college and/or their careers:
 

1. Expand our system of connections between the educational sector and business sector to support an effective and sustainable pipeline for college and career success.
2. Develop an effective personalized community wide process to connect with students and their families at the individual level to provide information and support for educational and career success.
3. Develop a web-based portal for students to track their high school, post-secondary, and career opportunities.
4. Develop a direct cash assistance program to assist youth and young adults with fiscal strain associated with Covid-19 and the attainment of post-secondary credentials/degrees.

 
A postsecondary credential leading to career pathways that pay a living wage is essential in today’s economy. Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce found in 2016 that Americans with some type of postsecondary credential earn 25% more on average over their lifetimes than those with only a high school degree or less. Moreover, individuals with some college education captured all but 100,000 of the 11.6 million net new jobs created during the 2010-2016 economic recovery.
 
“As high levels of educational attainment are directly linked to a city’s economic vitality and well-being, there is a great incentive for municipal leaders to support and promote postsecondary credential attainment,” said Audrey Hutchinson, Director of Education and Expanded Learning at the National League of Cities. “The National League of Cities is proud to work with the City of Jacksonville in addressing the basic needs of postsecondary students in Jacksonville.”
 
This cohort program runs through September 2021 with additional support through 2022 and is generously supported by ECMC Foundation.
 
 
 
 
About Kids Hope Alliance:
With the vision that every child and youth will reach their academic, career and civic potential, Kids Hope Alliance: The Jacksonville Partnership for Children, Youth, and Families (KHA), a fiscal agency of the City of Jacksonville, is responsible for overseeing the implementation and management of children and youth programs, services, and activities, accomplished through third-party service providers. Through these partnerships and local providers, KHA is a vehicle to improving the lives of children, youth, and families in Jacksonville.
 
 
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.