As an FRNYC school, you are responsible for implementing a pathway for 1 to 3+ sections of students, comprising at least 25 students per section, per grade (or grade band in some select cases). FRNYC student recruiting begins with universal participation in career exploration by all 9th grade students. In parallel, FRNYC should be marketed to all 9th grade students before soliciting student interest and identifying the FRNYC cohort that will progress along the FRNYC sequence before the end of the school year.

FRNYC student identification should be informed by robust criteria and follow a consistent process including broad awareness and informed opt-in from students, equitable selection using threshold requirements to ensure students selected are set up for success, and an opt-out process to maintain fidelity. An intentional, equitable, and repeatable process ensures a clear cohort of students is fairly selected each year. Equitable FRNYC student identification is critical to delivering on FRNYCs promise of equitably preparing students with the best of college and career readiness. Selection signifies both commitment from the school to provide all five core programming components to each selected student, as well as commitment from each student to engage with all components.

Timeline and Process for FRNYC Student Identification

Timeline and process for FRNYC student identification

Schools should follow the following steps during the student identification process:

Step 1: Identify Outreach and Engagement Team

  • This team will be responsible for marketing FRNYC, identifying students interested in enrolling in  FRNYC, and selecting the FRNYC cohort.
  • The team should include School Leadership (e.g., Principal, Assistant Principal), and the FRNYC Coordinator at a minimum. It may also be helpful to include:
    • Parent Coordinator
    • College Now Liaison
    • WBL Coordinator
    • Student Ambassadors (if the program is already in motion)
    • Transition Team Leader
    • ENL Coordinator

Step 2: Marketing and Awareness

  • Pre- High School: When possible, engage rising 9th graderes while they are still in middle school and/or over the summer. Suggested engagements include:
    • Orientation sessions with potential students in the Spring to share an overview of the FRNYC program and its benefits
        • Note: Consider offering outreach materials in multiple languages to improve accessibility (especially for parents)
    • Direct outreach to students / families to notify them of the program (which can include email blasts, social media, text messages, etc.)
        • Note: In communications to students, highlight that students can use 9th grade to explore FRNYC programming before officially joining an FRNYC cohort.
    • Indicating participation in FRNYC on your school's overview section in myschools.nyc, promotional materials, and your school's website
  • During the summer: Review incoming 9th grade and rising 10th grade student data and consider offering summer bridge opportunities that blend academic learning with real world, hands on activities
  • During the school year: All 9th graders should receive exposure to FRNYC through universal participation in career exploration / fundamentals. In addition, schools should conduct structured outreach to build awareness of FRNYC. Engagements should include:
    • Continued direct outreach to students / families
    • Formal information sessions to educate students and families in detail about the programming and benefits of FRNYC. These sessions may occur throughout the year but at minimum should occur multiple times during the periods in the above timeline, adjusted to pathway.
        • Note: Information sessions should be planned well in advance and publicized to students and families through all appropriate means. Student attendance should be tracked, as attending an information session is a prerequisite for selection to an FRNYC cohort. 
        • Note: Schools should provide both in-person and virtual options for information sessions, as well as translations / accommodations for students and families where appropriate to ensure broadest awareness and access.
    • Direct engagement with students through advisors, teachers, and other trusted adults
    • See Resources for Student and Family Engagement for sample outreach, publicity, and information session materials and templates.

Step 3: Student Selection

  • Student Application Form: Using the Sample FRNYC Application Form, create a short survey for prospective students to apply to join this year’s FRNYC cohort. The survey should require an interest statement from the student and contain clear language informing students that applying to FRNYC represents a commitment to engage fully with all five core components if selected.
      • Note: Translate the survey where necessary to improve access for multilingual learners
      • This survey should remain open for multiple months to allow students ample opportunity to register, at minimum for the periods indicated in the above timeline, adjusted to pathway
      • Students should receive multiple reminders to apply and have many ways to access the survey (e.g., email links, QR codes on flyers, etc.)
  • Selecting Cohort: Following the student application period, schools should select students based on the following criteria:

    • Criteria

    • Rationale

    • Representative of demographic profile of the school
    • Ensure FRNYC is grounded in access and equity, and provide opportunity to prepare and enter high growth high wage sectors equitably rather than to a subset of the student body
    • Cohort size aligned with authorized number of sections (25 students / section / grade)
    • Ensure ability of school to provide all five core components to all selected students
    • Completion of career foundations/career exploration (required of all freshmen)
    • Provide opportunity for student discovery, inquiry and agency; time for the educators to learn more about students and engage intentionally via classroom instruction and pathway advising
    • Attendance at one or more FRNYC family and student information sessions (in person or virtual)
    • Ensure student and family understanding of FRNYC sequence requirements; establish a personal connection to answer questions and concerns; provide opportunity to meet with existing FRNYC student ambassadors to learn more about the opportunity, etc.
    • Completion of student application form
    • Confirm student understanding of FRNYC sequence requirements; uphold student choice and and agency; assess interest and fit

Note: The FRNYC workbook “[FRNYC] Student ID” tab contains a tool to aid schools in comparing proposed cohorts with overall school demographics.

  • Additional considerations: If there are more interested students than spaces available after considering the above, schools should prioritize students most likely to engage fully with FRNYC. Possible indicators include:
    • Student interest statement - alignment of student’s interests with the FRNYC pathway, professed motivation / commitment to engage, etc.
    • Advisor / teacher conversations with student regarding interest and fit
    • Attendance history (accounting for extenuating circumstances such as illness)
    • Academic proficiency should not be used as a ranking factor, however schools should consider students’ overall ability to meet ECC prerequisites
  • Insufficient Interest: Schools are expected to fill their FRNYC cohort each year as determined by the number of authorized sections spread across the relevant grades. If there are fewer interested students than spaces available, schools should:
      • Reshare the interest form
      • Provide additional announcements and guidance through school meetings and/or events (e.g., parent-teacher conference, student advisory meetings, etc.
      • Personalize asks directly to students to ensure they understand the program and its potential benefits, prioritizing underrepresented student demographics
      • Reach out to their FRNYC coach and OSP for support and guidance

Resources for Student & Family Engagement

A strong outreach plan will utilize multiple forms of student and family engagement (as shown in chart below). Below, you will find communications/marketing materials and templates for FRNYC schools to use and reference.

Best Practice: What is already in place in your school building/community to engage with students and families that has proven to work? Consider how you can modify or leverage these strategies/structures to recruit students on your outreach list.

Multi-Layered Outreach (Engagement Types)

*Some content to be finalized and linked over the next few months