Overview

The power of community collaboration to accelerate prosperity

LEAP Tampa Bay is a network of more than 60 community partners committed to changing lives by connecting residents to education and training beyond high school.  A cross-sector network convened to promote their community-wide commitment to college access and attainment, LEAP leaders use a collective impact model of collaboration to guide coordinated need-based strategies by partners from across business, education, government and non-profits. All the work is geared at increasing attainment of high-quality degrees and career and technical training credentials to help build Tampa Bay’s workforce talent base.

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People

Chuck Tiernan
Senior Director,
LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network
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Dominique Gardner
Program Manager, LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network
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Matt Smith
College Completion Coach, LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network
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Outcomes

20%

Re-enrolling stopped out students.

Scaling a successful re-engagement coaching program to multiple counties, LEAP Tampa Bay coaches have re-enrolled 20% of the county’s stopped out students in one year, putting nearly 250 students back on track to complete their credential.

$3.5M

Unique scholarship program raises over $3.5M for transfer students.

The Fuse Scholarship – a unique transfer program scholarship – has issued over 550 scholarships for students in a transfer pathway to University of South Florida.

Key Initiatives

Complete Tampa Bay College Coaching Initiative

Launched by a grant from Lumina Foundation, a national leader in post-secondary attainment, our completion coach supports returning adult learners by 1) helping them find the right school and pathway for re-engagement; 2) complete the financial aid process; 3) maximize credits they’ve already earned; and 4) access other basic needs resources. The work strategically aligns with State of Florida completion initiatives and pays special attention to anyone within 12 credits of earning their degree or certificate. Technical colleges, United Way, as well as local Urban League organizations are partners in delivering the many types of community support students need.  

College partners have all signed data sharing MOUs with the LEAP network, allowing the coach’s outreach to be seamless as possible. 

The benefits are clear. Not only does our workforce gain more skilled employees, but individuals who complete a credential, like an Associate Degree, earn up to 16% more on average and are 27% less likely to be unemployed than those with a high school diploma (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2019).  

Expanding College & Career Centers

Since the 2018-19 school year, LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network and partners have championed the expansion of high school-based, volunteer-led College and Career Centers. This school-based center model was designed to give high school students a deeper level of support for college and financial aid planning, college entrance test preparation, as well as strengthen parent and student engagement in the process of preparing for a student’s next step.

The centers were modeled after a successful center at Robinson High School in Hillsborough County, which over a six-year period helped the school regularly be a district-wide leader in students completing Financial Aid (FAFSA), earning scholarships and completing College Entrance applications.  

Even during a school year (19-20) abruptly interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis, one easy measure of a center’s impact is its ability to support students applying for financial aid. The FAFSA results at these schools begin to clearly demonstrate the centers’ value. Four of the six schools operating last year had increases in FAFSA completion ranging from 5.1% to 12.8% points above district average, with two at or near the top of their district performance.

Fuse Scholarships

A scholarship program designed to amplify the Fuse: Guaranteed Admission to University of South Florida pathway program, LEAP Tampa Bay partners collaboratively raised $3.5 million dollars and have funded 500+ students with awards of $5,500 each to date.  Fuse students start at local state (or community) colleges and transfer to USF with direct admission to their major.  Their scholarship follows them along the entire path, supporting them incrementally with funding as they continue their pathway.  

 

Partners

Helios Education Foundation
Foundation
Tampa Bay Chamber
Chamber of Commerce
Career Source Tampa Bay
Career Connections
Polk State College
Higher Education
Tampa Bay Tech
Higher Education
The University of Tampa
Higher Education
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“LEAP is a model for building, strengthening and empowering communities throughout Tampa Bay to close equity gaps in postsecondary attainment. The City of Tampa is proud to partner with LEAP and is grateful for its contributions to improving the quality of life for our residents through degree and credential attainment.”

Mayor Jane Castor, City of Tampa Bay
ounding Partner of LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network.
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“LEAP leverages its collective framework to lower systemic barriers, thus increasing 2- and 4-year degrees as well as “stacking” credentials for limited income, Black and Brown populations, and first-generation college students in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.”

Dr. Tonjua Williams, President
St. Petersburg College, Founding Partner of LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network
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“In five years, LEAP has pulled together a multi-sector network of community partners, programs and initiatives that has Tampa Bay well on its way to not only meeting this (60%) goal, but surpass it. In addition to the progress LEAP’s collective impact model has made toward degree attainment, it has provided the bonus benefit of serving as a strong corporate recruitment tool.”  C

Craig Richard, CEcD, President and CEO
ampa Bay Economic Development Council, Founding Partner of LEAP Tampa Bay College Access Network.