Florida College Access Network (FCAN) sparks fresh thinking, showcases actionable ideas, and partners with communities working to improve educational achievement for all Floridians—especially first-generation college students, low-income students, adult learners, and other students outside the mold of the “traditional” college student. Our multi-layered approach combines research, news and information, statewide initiatives, and support of local college access networks or LCANs. A trusted authority on evidence-based, student-centered solutions to barriers impeding educational attainment, FCAN (and its predecessor organization, ENLACE Florida) has published dozens of reports, been cited in the media over 300 times, appeared before the Florida legislature, and presented at over 100 meetings and conferences. We help build public knowledge of key trends and issues through policy briefs, data dashboards, and reports that illuminate opportunity barriers to post-secondary attainment along with policies and practices with promise to overcome them. We coordinate the College Ready Florida statewide initiatives, which have been adopted by over 200 Florida schools. And we proudly partner with and support the work of local college access networks, which currently represent close to 60% of Florida’s population. Together with our network partners across the state, FCAN is making a difference. For example, in the 2016-17 school year, FCAN’s Florida FAFSA Challenge helped Florida achieve the third-highest improvement in FAFSA completions in the country—resulting in more than $37 million additional Pell grant dollars for Florida’s graduating seniors. Overall, school districts supported by local college access networks saw a 12% higher increase in FAFSA completions compared to school districts without LCAN support.
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