North Texas nonprofit founder addresses issues affecting students' post-high school success

Seven years ago, Texas adopted the sixty by thirty plan. The goal - 60% of high school graduates in Texas would earn a certificate or degree by 2030.

But the state’s data shows we’re moving further away from that goal. That’s startling! 90% of skilled jobs in Texas require some post-secondary credential.

Since the plan launched, we’ve gone from 33% succeeding to 26% succeeding. Dan Hooper, who founded the non-profit ScholarShot, says there are two systemic issues in our education system contributing to this decline and its putting thousands of young people on a path to poverty.

Hooper started ScholarShot in 2009, to help at-risk students earn a college degree. His program and his team have turned 182 potential dropouts into degree-earners.

"You’ll hear a lot of people say college is not for everyone. That’s not true, all our local community colleges provide one-year vocational certificates and with your grants its paid for," says Dan Hooper.

Hooper says two systemic issues in education hold kids back: bad or a lack of advisement by high schools and lack of accountability in our university systems.

"Their goal should be college or career readiness, but they’re focused on anything but that. It’s hard because a lot of kids get talked out of doing ScholarShot by their school counselors again, to make the system look good. You got into, and then they name the four-year school, you need to go there," says Hooper.

Data shows students are largely overmatched; enticed into schools where they cannot compete academically or flat out can’t afford.

"We could cut that down, if we just communicated with a little more reality about the world and life to these kids," says Hooper.

Hooper says students need a better model of engagement.

"Our universities think that well, I’ve got a staff of advisors but if those advisors just wait for kids to advocate for themselves it’s not going to happen," says Hooper.

Roughly half of kids who drop out of Texas colleges are in good standing!

"These kids need a lot of hands-on management and guidance, and we provide that,

ScholarShot’s academic managers are first-generation grads. Each take on fifty students – and guide them from enrollment to their first job.

"Every CEO in North Texas has told us their number one issue is to find degrees and diversity and they can’t. We just need to give these kids a certificate or more after high school to get them ready for work," says Hooper.

In 2021, Texas updated its 60 by 30 plan: increasing the target population to 64 years old, recognizing non-traditional educational credits and included the in-migration of new residents. These modifications improved the state’s outcomes.

Know your gaps! ScholarShot released the GapApp, a free tool anyone can download. Enter your high school information and in thirty to forty seconds learn your student's best financial and academic fit for college. Free in your App Store.