Too many young people in DC face barriers to finding a clear path that can lead to a family-sustaining career after leaving K–12. Most DC alumni do not complete a postsecondary degree, and those who remain in the city as young adults earn roughly half the income of peers who move away (DC Policy Center). Systemic inequities also persist: the median household income for white residents is more than three times higher than the median income of Black residents (Council Office of Racial Equity). These gaps show that opportunity in DC is unevenly distributed, and the adults and organizations meant to guide young people—schools, community programs, workforce initiatives, and city agencies—don’t always work together, leaving students without the coordinated support they need.

The DC Postsecondary Success Collaborative is here to change that.

Our mission is to strengthen DC’s postsecondary system by supporting the educators and career advisors who guide young people toward college, training programs, apprenticeships, employment, and good-paying jobs. We envision a city where every student has clear and fair options for the future because the adults helping them are connected, informed, and equipped to provide guidance. At its core, the Collaborative exists to support the people who guide students. By investing in and connecting these adults, we create clearer, stronger pathways for learners across DC.

When advisors have the right tools, information, and relationships, they can help students make informed decisions about their career paths. That means more students stay on track, complete their programs, and move into careers that can support them and their families. Over time, this strengthens the city and helps close economic gaps between communities.

Today, the Collaborative has grown into a citywide network of over 270 members representing more than 175 schools, community-based organizations, and city agencies. We provide city leader roundtables, professional learning communities, a newsletter, an online blog, and annual summits. As a trusted convener of practitioners, organizational leaders, and city decision-makers, the Collaborative is helping transform postsecondary outcomes for DC youth and residents every day.

Your support keeps this work going and allows us to reach even more young people—helping them navigate their futures and achieve their dreams.

How Your Support Makes a Difference

Your donation helps us:

Convene the ecosystem
We bring together hundreds of professionals across schools, nonprofits, higher education, and government to align strategies and share solutions.

Strengthen the people doing the work
Through professional learning communities, we support the educators and advisors who guide students through complex postsecondary decisions.

Build stronger pathways for students
By fostering collaboration across sectors, we help create clearer and more coordinated pathways from secondary school to postsecondary success.

Why This Work Matters

Every year, thousands of students in DC graduate with career dreams but face complex systems, limited guidance, and uneven access to opportunity.

Improving postsecondary success isn’t the work of any single school or organization - it requires a coordinated ecosystem.

The Collaborative exists to strengthen that ecosystem.

Your support helps ensure the people guiding DC’s students have the tools, relationships, and knowledge they need to help every learner succeed.

Support the DC Postsecondary Success Collaborative

By Bellwether

Support the DC Postsecondary Success Collaborative

Help strengthen the network of educators, career navigators, and leaders working to ensure every young person in DC has a clear pathway to a family-sustaining career.