Supporting Underserved Students with Career Planning

As the Executive Director of the Bronx-based Equality Charter School, Caitlin Franco ensures that the school’s staff meet their students’ educational needs by offering a rigorous curriculum responsive to their individual circumstances. Under Caitlin Franco’s leadership, Equality offers a range of career-focused education programs specifically designed to mitigate employment barriers stemming from poverty. 

People from low-income households are far more likely to be unemployed than their higher income peers. One factor driving this statistic is a lack of exposure to work opportunities and career counseling before leaving school. Schools can narrow this gap by prioritizing career-readiness programs and ensuring that their students have access to high-quality career counseling and practical work experiences.

Schools can also form strong partnerships with members of the business community to develop training programs based on industry standards and expectations. As a result, students will leave the program with the skills that employers are seeking, increasing their chances of finding work after graduation and developing successful careers.

Growth Prioritized over Achievement at Equality Charter School

Caitlin Franco oversees administration, programs, and strategic planning as the Founder and Executive Director for Equality Charter School, an educational academy that focuses on the academic and socio-emotional growth of its students. Under Caitlin Franco’s direction, the New York-based institution prioritizes student growth over student achievement.

Equality Charter School serves students in need, including students who are behind their peers in academic performance and test below their grade level. Upon enrolling in the school, 77 percent of students test below in math and 81 percent test below in English language arts. This presents a challenge for the teachers and administrators responsible for bringing them up to speed and the task will prove impossible in some circumstances. The school’s educators also acknowledge that some students will not graduate or attend college.

Regardless of their potential to graduate or seek higher education, Equality’s faculty maintains a commitment to showing all students the same level of care and attention. The school uses student growth as the primary measure of success in order to accomplish this goal. Curriculums focus on encouraging students to perform at their individual best and creating opportunities for students of all ages and abilities. Additionally, Equality does not place restrictions on enrollment based on grade level, a tactic some school utilize in order to boost student achievement numbers.