High School and Academic Student Unions

Preparing Students for Success

By providing vital year-round academic supports and a structured space for students to pursue their passions, our Academic Student Unions (ASUs) ensure students graduate from high school on time and transition seamlessly to post-secondary opportunities.  

Measuring Our Impact:

• $93 million in grants and scholarships for college and trade school earned by participants since the opening of our first ASU in 2010.
• Across our three high school ASUs, 96%-100% of participating seniors graduate on time.
• Participants are 2.5 times more likely to attend college (controlling for race, gender, ACT score, initial college motivation level and other factors).

Designed to model a college student union, our ASUs are a one-stop-shop for high school students to receive academic, social and emotional, work and career, and college prep assistance. We are not an out-of-school program, as much as an all-school program.

We operate all day, on-site at Stratford, Maplewood and Hunters Lane High Schools, as well a middle school model at Stratford Middle, hosting assemblies, meeting with students over lunch, providing one-on-one tutoring and ACT preparation any time of the day, running up to 7:00 PM in the evening. Our programming is also open to the whole school with no prerequisites, academically or economically.

Primary services include:

• Daily tutoring, homework help, and ACT prep
• Work readiness programming
• Small group counseling
• Leadership development
• Enrichment activities in technology, music, and the arts
• College exploration, application, and financial aid assistance

Additional key ASU features:

Students self select: ASUs focus on creating a culture that makes students want to attend and participate.

Academic Case Management: Case managers meet with students, parents and teachers to discuss grades, attendance, and progress toward individual goals.

Community Partnerships: Partners provide programming, staff, funding and supports to ensure that students needs are met.  Partners includes MNPS, Oasis Center, Family and Children’s Services, and more.

Post-secondary pathways: ASUs partner with MOBC’s Post-Secondary Success Initiative to work closely with institutions to  ensure students have access to, can afford, and will graduate from a best fit school.