College and career readiness in San Jose

Since 2020, the Gardner Center has been studying the San Jose Aspires program (SJ Aspires), following over 500 students who graduated in 2023 and 2024 to examine the relationship between their participation in SJ Aspires and their readiness for and persistence in higher education.

The challenge

San José’s public schools provide a quality education, enhanced by programs and services that advance students’ educational outcomes. Yet, it is estimated that less than 4 of 10 students starting 9th grade will successfully navigate a path to and through postsecondary education. In particular, San José students from low-income families face enormous barriers to college, including a lack clear guidance, financial resources, and/or adequate access to academic counseling to support their journey to a college degree or career.

The solution

In 2018, former San José Mayor Sam Liccardo launched SJ Aspires — in partnership with the San José Public Library and the San José Public Library Foundation — to enable youth in underserved neighborhoods to chart a path toward higher education and reduce the financial and informational barriers preventing them from attending college.

The program is characterized by a self-guided curriculum focused on college and career exploration and the development of academic habits and self-advocacy skills; supplemental college advising and guidance; and micro-scholarships up to $5,000 that students can earn toward their postsecondary education.

From 2020–2025, Gardner Center researchers tracked two student cohorts participating in the program. Their study examines SJ Aspires students’ matriculation into postsecondary institutions and the relationship between their participation in SJ Aspires and their readiness for and persistence in higher education.

Key takeaways

Students with more SJ Aspires engagement were more likely to attend and persist in college. Specifically, students with more logins to the SJ Aspires system and who earned more scholarship dollars had higher rates of postsecondary enrollment; higher rates of full-time and four-year college enrollment; and higher persistence rates once they started college relative to those with lower SJ Aspires participation.

The researchers also found:

Engagement with SJ Aspires played a role in profiles of students who went on to postsecondary education — even those least likely to go to college.

Engagement with SJ Aspires was associated with high school behaviors that promote college readiness, such as higher GPAs and more A–G credit accumulation.