Postsecondary Symposium Overview

Unlocking Doors of Opportunity for Postsecondary Success

Join the RISE Network and school teams from around the region for a 2-day symposium to invest in postsecondary access! Together, we will reimagine postsecondary strategies to improve student outcomes through replicable systems and impactful approaches!

About the Postsecondary Symposium

  • What: A two-day learning experience for schools looking to invest in postsecondary access to support all students in identifying and achieving their postsecondary goals.
  • When: October 29 – 30, 2025, from 8:30 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.
  • Where: The Delamar Hotel, located at 1 Memorial Road in West Hartford, CT.
  • Who: The Symposium is designed for high school teams leading postsecondary success work; we encourage schools to send teams of 4 to 6 people, including the principal and/or postsecondary administrator, counseling lead, school counselors, college and career coordinator, and other educators involved in postsecondary access work.
  • Cost: Teams of four or more attendees – $1,200/person; individuals – $1,500. (Registrants from schools participating in RISE’s Core Network or Grade 9 Focus Network are eligible for a 20% discount.)
  • Questions? Please contact pd@ctrise.org

Postsecondary Symposium Overview

Ensuring that all students have equitable access to postsecondary opportunities is critical for their long-term success. However, too many students face real and perceived access barriers, including financial access and information gaps, preventing them from achieving their goals. Postsecondary pathways (including 2/4-year college, trade/technical/certificate programs, military, and workforce) require students to complete various access milestones (e.g., FAFSA, applications, ASVAB, resume). This can be overwhelming for students, families, and educators. By implementing strategic interventions, refining school structures, and fostering a culture of postsecondary access, educators can help bridge opportunity gaps and empower students to achieve their goals beyond high school.

The good news? Through intentional collaboration and data-driven strategies, school teams can enhance postsecondary access, improve student outcomes, and create sustainable systems that support all students and all pathways.

Please join the RISE Network for the Postsecondary Symposium, a two-day professional learning experience designed to help school teams strengthen their postsecondary support systems. Participants will:

  • Explore Research & Best Practices – Engage with national and local research on postsecondary access to deepen understanding of key trends, challenges, and opportunities.
  • Learn from Peers – Gain insights from educators and school leaders who have successfully implemented impactful strategies to support students in their postsecondary journeys.
  • Strengthen Systems & Structures – Refine and enhance school-based systems, structures, and data-driven approaches to build stronger, more effective postsecondary teams.
  • Leverage Data for Student Success – Utilize data analysis to identify trends, monitor student progress, and drive targeted interventions that improve equitable access and outcomes.
  • Develop Actionable Strategies – Collaborate with peers to create a concrete plan for strengthening postsecondary programming, ensuring all students are supported in achieving their post-high school goals.

Let’s work together to ensure every student has the resources, support, and opportunities they need to succeed beyond high school!

About the RISE Network

The RISE Network’s mission is to ensure all RISE high school students graduate with a plan and the skills and confidence to achieve college and career success. Founded in 2015, RISE partners with public high schools to lead statewide networks where school communities work together to use data to learn and improve. Through its core and most comprehensive network, RISE partners with nine high schools and eight public school districts, serving over 13,000 students; the majority of RISE students identify as Black, Latine, and/or low-income. RISE high schools work together to ensure all students experience success as they transition to, through, and beyond high school by using data to pinpoint needs, form hypotheses, and pursue ideas to advance student achievement.

The Connecticut RISE Network has truly allowed me as a leader to help my team and schools to realign and redesign our approaches to supporting students.

District Administrator

RISE high schools have achieved double-digit gains improving Grade 9 on-track achievement, four-year high school graduation rates, and student identification of postsecondary plans, while also decreasing subgroup gaps across all indicators. In 2021, the RISE Network was honored to receive the Carnegie Foundation’s annual Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement recognition. Increasingly, RISE is pursuing opportunities to scale its impact through consulting partnerships with public school districts, state agencies, and non-profit organizations.