About the State Scholars Initiative
The State Scholars Initiative (SSI) is a national program that motivates students to complete a rigorous course of study in high school, with the goal of better preparing them for success in postsecondary education or training, as well as in their future careers.
At the core of SSI – which is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) and administered by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) – are state-level business/education partnerships that work with students in middle and high school, encouraging them to excel academically. The partnering of business and education is critical. When businesspeople visit classrooms to talk to students directly about the importance of taking math, science, language arts, and social studies, and when they discuss how a rigorous education benefits their employees in the workplace every day, they bring home for students the value of a strong education in a real-world, bottom-line way. That’s a message all students need to hear, but one that’s especially important for low-income students.
State Scholars students are asked to complete a rigorous course of study in high school. State partnerships work to motivate students in a variety of ways, including (in some states) college scholarships and other financial aid. Working within the State Scholars framework, each state tailors the program to meet its particular needs.
"The current high school reform movement in the United States places an emphasis on raising the level of expectation for all students. The Arizona Academic Scholars Program is a program that meets this goal, challenging the middle 50 percent of the student body to take a more rigorous academic schedule. These students are opening more 'doors of opportunity' upon high school graduation. They’re helping the U.S. compete globally and making a significant contribution." Greg Wyman, Superintendent, Apache Junction Unified School District, Apache Junction, AZ
