Program Description
The San Antonio Education Partnership provides motivation for at-risk students in 24 high schools from eight school districts to graduate high school and attend college.   The motivation begins with an offer of an eight- semester scholarship for all students who commit to earning a "B" grade average and 95% attendance rate upon graduation from high school. Education Partnership staff is assigned as College Awareness and Access Advisors on the high school campuses to  provide Partnership Awareness to increase eligibility for the San Antonio Education Partnership Scholarship,  College Access to increase college enrollment,  and High School to College Transition to increase college success and retention .

Services to students begin in the ninth grade to introduce college awareness and conclude with their completion of college applications in the senior year. Education Partnership staff serves as liaisons to the high school counselor and helps to enhance students’ access to the SAT/ ACT and other test preparation.      The staff also coordinates the college assessment and registration process on the high school campuses for enrollment in local two-year colleges, connects students to four-year universities through campus visits and online access, and coordinates the referral of students for completion of financial aid applications.   Additionally, the "Building Bridges" initiative helps prepare 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to accept the Partnership challenge as they enter 9th grade.

Organization History
The San Antonio Education Partnership was established in 1988 to address several areas of concern.  Founders were primarily concerned with the inadequate school completion and performance rates by students from the lower socioeconomic and predominantly minority areas of the city.  Partnership founders wanted to pursue a collaborative approach.

With the encouragement of Industrial Areas Foundation Organizations, Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) and Metro Alliance, then Mayor Henry Cisneros convened meetings involving representatives from these organizations, the City of San Antonio, school district superintendents, local college and university presidents, and business and corporate executives led by the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.  The San Antonio Education Partnership emerged from these consultations with its purpose to increase academic performance levels, school completion rates, and college attendance by at-risk high school students.  The San Antonio Education Partnership mission statement conveys the coming together of five major partners to invest in youth:   “We are partners from education, business, government, and community organizations challenging, investing in, and providing hope for our at-risk youth.  Through the use of scholarships and support systems, we leverage educational achievement to increase graduation rates, college enrollment, and the development of human capital.  As a partnership, we are a model of and a catalyst for systemic change, strengthening our families and other basic institutions of our San Antonio community.”

Partners and Supporters
24 high schools in 8 school districts
10 Colleges and Universities
Local Government entities:  City of San Antonio, Bexar County
Over 34 Corporations, Foundations and Individuals
Industrial Areas Foundation Organizations:  Communities Organized for Public Service and Metro Alliance
Other Networking Collaborators:  COSTEP, Sallie Mae, HACU, KLRN, Project STAY