EIF Dallas
EIF Dallas has an open enrollment process for all incoming freshmen in the high schools it serves. This enrollment process was recently expanded to include 8th grade middle-school students who will soon attend high school. Currently, EIF Dallas is offered in three low-performing DISD high schools: 1) James Madison in South Dallas, 2) W.H. Adamson in Oak Cliff, and 3) North Dallas High. Over the next three years, the successful EIF Dallas programmatic effort will be expanded into an additional three to five high schools within the Dallas Independent School District. Once students are enrolled in EIF Dallas, they and their parents sign the EIF academic contract. The EIF academic contract requires students to begin to meet the following requirements:
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English, Language Arts, and Reading |
4 credits |
English I, II, III, IV
English I and II for Speakers of Other Languages (SOL) may be substituted for English I and II only for immigrant students with limited English proficiency |
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Mathematics |
3 credits |
Algebra I, II, & Geometry |
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Science* |
3 credits |
(No more than one credit from each area. One credit must be a biology credit.)
Biology, AP Biology, or IB Biology
Integrated Physics and Chemistry
Chemistry, AP Chemistry, or IB Chemistry
Physics, Principles of Technology I, AP Physics, or IB Physics |
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Social Studies |
3 ½ credits |
World History Studies (one credit)
World Geography Studies (one credit)
U.S. History Studies Since Reconstruction (one credit)
U.S. Government (one-half credit) |
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Economics |
½ credit |
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Physical Education |
1 ½ credits |
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Health Education |
½ credit |
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Fine Arts |
1 credit |
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Languages Other Than English* |
2 credits |
(Must consist of Level I and Level II in the same language) |
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Speech* |
½ credit |
(Communication Applications required) |
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Technology Applications |
1 credit |
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Electives* |
3 ½ credits |
(See list of courses approved by the State Board of Education for grades 9-12) |
- Maintaining a cumulative 80 GPA ;
- Enrolling in pre-AP and AP courses;
- Attending Life Skills classes;
- Accruing no more than 2 disciplinary referrals and no school suspensions;
- Accruing fewer than 3 unexcused absences per semester;
- Working with their EIF Dallas Higher Education Advisor (staffed at the school, but funded and trained by EIF Dallas) to complete a minimum of 6 scholarship applications;
- Applying to a minimum of three colleges;
- Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
- Parents committing to attend a minimum of 2 EIF Dallas-sponsored workshops per year.
EIF Dallas is a highly collaborative program supported by school principals and staff. Students are recruited during the 8th grade through the EIF Dallas Middle School Transition Initiative. The EIF Middle School Transition Initiative is designed to:
- Engage in the open enrollment of 8th grade students;
- Host academic celebrations every 12 weeks to honor middle-school students’ achievements;
- Introduce student representatives from EIF Dallas high schools to offer perspective and guidance to middle-school students;
- Provide parental and student education about the EIF Dallas program and its role in postsecondary planning;
- Help students begin planning for their transition to high school;
- Introduce students and parents to the EIF Dallas contract and the “EIF Promise” (as detailed below).
On average, EIF Dallas serves between 600 and 700 students per high-school campus, and the program expects to graduate 300 EIF Dallas seniors per year in 2008 and 2009.
EIF Dallas employs twelve full-time and three part-time staff members. However, volunteers also play a vital role in the program. A full-time EIF Dallas Volunteer Manager recruits, screens, assigns, and monitors volunteers, who serve as mentors and provide assistance with other programming and organizational needs. To this end, EIF Dallas has forged strong relationships with both the Junior League of Dallas and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dallas , whose volunteers play a major role in students’ lives. Mentors from Big Brothers and Big Sisters are paired with EIF Dallas students to act as constant positive influences in students’ lives. Volunteers from the Junior League of Dallas also help to deliver EIF Dallas’ comprehensive programmatic services and alleviate some of the challenges associated with a large caseload.
The following are key elements of the EIF Dallas program:
- Academic Guidance through one-on-one advising by an EIF Higher Education Advisor located on the campus;
- Mentoring by EIF Dallas staff and volunteers that offers positive adult influence through regular interactions with successful professionals;
- Academic Tutoring that provides academic assistance through volunteers, ambassadors and mentors;
- Personal Development Training or life skills seminars designed to help students successfully develop the appropriate skills, including financial literacy, that are necessary to succeed in high school and complete college; and
- The “EIF Promise,” which includes:
- Assistance for each EIF Dallas student in navigating the college application and financial aid process;
- Helping each EIF Dallas student develop a personalized, comprehensive strategy for managing the cost of college;
- Helping each student leverage private and public scholarships;
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“Close-the-Gap” Scholarship Awardshelp students with the rising costs of college. Education is Freedom has reached out to a number of external partners, public and private, who are focused on helping students with the rising costs of college. One example of these successful partnerships with public and private organizations is Mayor Tom Leppert’s Chesapeake Energy Scholarship. For every dollar EIF Dallas invested in close-the-gap tuition assistance, the organization was able to help its 2007 graduating class leverage $26 additional dollars from other public and private resources.