College Summit’s tools are designed to be integrated into a school’s existing structure and culture. Our partner schools incorporate College Summit’s curriculum and tools into a postsecondary planning course, offered for credit during the regular school day. This ensures successful integration with other coursework and the school routine. Our approach is to build the capacity of schools and their districts to do this work themselves.

There are different ways to structure the class based on time and frequency, and College Summit staff will work with each school to determine the best approach. Analysis of the structure from across the country indicates that 60 minutes or more per week throughout the school year are necessary for students to complete the key curricular outcomes and to find relevancy in the work by connecting their learning to their everyday lives.

The College Summit Navigator Curriculum consists of 33 weekly lessons, most of which can be taught within one or two class periods. With lesson extensions and CSNav Connections, schools have the flexibility to design instruction around authentic student need, interest and postsecondary plan.

Each week includes a Suggested Educator Pacing Guide which demonstrates how you might choose to deliver the different lesson components. The College Summit class is designed to give students the opportunity to perform, practice, and engage actively in learning. In nearly every lesson, the Direct Instruction is limited to no more than 10 minutes. We encourage student-centered learning by focusing on large-group discussions, collaborative small-group activities, partner work, and individual practice. The lessons are also equipped with lesson extensions that allow teachers and students to go into greater depth, should they want more practice or understanding regarding a particular topic.

Making college going part of the high school curriculum is the only way to ensure that all students, no matter their Grade Point Average (GPA), test scores or family income, can get the information and support to plan and prepare for their best option after high school.