RESULTS OF 2006 FOLLOW-UP

Following-up on the success of awardees of Single Parent Scholarships is critically important to all who want an answer to the question: do our scholarships really make a difference? Each year, SPSF’s are asked to determine the status of awardees in order to determine an overall retention and graduation rate. In 2007, research on the previous year’s recipients revealed that out of 1,218 awardees, 77% either remained in school or earned their degrees. Furthermore, 53% of all graduates were employed at an income above the poverty threshold and 17% of graduates were continuing their education.

Follow-up of awardees for the past six years has consistently produced a retention and graduation rate between 75% and 80%. This remarkable indicator of success suggests that better than three out of four scholarship awardees will earn a post-secondary educational degree or diploma if sufficient financial aid and lots of encouragement and support are available to them.

For the second straight year, affiliated Single Parent Scholarship Funds across Arkansas awarded more than a million dollars in aid to single mothers and fathers seeking to earn a college degree. Reports indicate that sixty-eight funds awarded 2,299 scholarships worth $1,322,339.73.

Since the ASPSF was founded in 1990, 17,303 scholarships worth $8.7 million have been awarded within the state of Arkansas. Affiliate support in the form of matching grants has totaled $2.2 million.