Broward UP

On July 1, 2018, Gregory Adam Haile, J.D., became the seventh president of Broward College, one of the largest colleges in the U.S, with over 63,000 students.  Just 19 years earlier, he was the first in his family to graduate college.  His professional life, which began as a corporate litigator, is laden with a craving to serve others.  He has served on more than 35 boards or committees and in over 20 Chair/President or Vice-Chair/President positions. He and his family often volunteer their time to serve local charities. President Haile has received numerous recognitions for his leadership, service, and excellence. He teaches a 4-credit course in higher education policy at Harvard and routinely speaks to the transformational power of higher education.  Perhaps most saliently, President Haile has dedicated his life to providing equitable opportunities to enhance the lives of others through quality, affordable, and truly accessible post-secondary education.   

With a belief that there is unlimited potential in Broward County, the Broward UP movement was developed as a strategic approach to combat poverty and unemployment. In partnership with local municipalities, nonprofits, and businesses, Broward UP addresses high unemployment rates in the most impoverished areas in the County. Communities are engaged where they are and through trusted social service organizations. This builds a system and infrastructure within each community that is sustainable and scalable. Broward UP not only provides motivation and growth mindset but also matches the specific training and experience required to fill current employment opportunities within the community. Participants are guided by a Career Coach who assesses education and skill levels, provides employment skills training, and refers for industry certification classes. This project demonstrates how systemic change happens when barriers are confronted and overcome. Broward UP will holistically improve economic and social mobility for Broward UP communities.

Broward UP seeks to end cycles of generational poverty and unemployment/underemployment by providing disenfranchised communities with the opportunities they need while reducing and/or eliminating barriers to success. 253,332 residents over the age of 16 live within Broward UP communities, of which 65 percent are African American and 16 percent are Hispanics. These communities were selected due to the high unemployment and low postsecondary education attainment rates. For Broward UP communities, an astonishing 61 percent of households earn less than the average median income in Broward County, and only 26.9 percent have a college degree. Pre-COVID 19, combined, the average unemployed rate in Broward UP communities is 11.27 percent compared to a record low of 3.3 percent and notwithstanding a 10-year job growth rate of 12.4 percent countywide. Recently, Broward County’s employment rate soared to 14.5% for the month of April, up from 4.2% in March, according to the state Department of Economic Opportunity. This equates to more than 150,000 eligible workers. The rate is higher than the State average of 12.9% and higher than any other county in South Florida including Miami-Dade County (11.9%) and Palm Beach County (13.9%). 

In today’s economy, workforce development and education fuels economic and social growth and mobility. The Broward UP movement ensures that Broward County residents have the opportunity to gain the skills and knowledge needed to support current and future businesses and industries within Broward County, and at the same time also benefits the workers themselves, giving them the tools they need to be successful and competitive in the workplace. Broward UP removes transportation, technology, and time barriers to attaining a postsecondary credential, and provides a new inspiration and understanding, that even the most challenged among us can transform their lives. By working with partners already directly serving communities at need, such as local nonprofits and municipalities, Broward UP relies on established networks to foster trust and demystify the college experience. While communities receive much-needed credentials, socioeconomic barriers (i.e. childcare, transportation, etc.) are also addressed to ensure course completion.

Broward UP targets residents in six zip codes – 33023, 33069, 33309, 33311, 33313, and 33319. In total, 253,332 residents over the age of 16 live within Broward UP Communities, of which 65% are African American and 16% are Hispanic. Despite Broward County’s booming economy, Broward UP Communities have high poverty rates and material income inequality. For Broward UP Communities, 61% of households earn less than the average income in Broward County. Upward economic mobility determines whether poverty and low-income levels persist. Gaining postsecondary credentials and thus improving their chances in the job market is the key to becoming upwardly mobile.

Economic progress is tied to improvements in educational attainment. With only 26.9% of Broward UP residents having a college degree, as compared to 41.4% countywide, their future economic mobility is undermined. Particularly concerning are those who traditionally have the lowest educational attainment levels – low-income, first-generation, and minorities students - who enroll and graduate from college at a significantly lower rate. These groups face barriers with respect to college readiness, access to college, and college completion.

Through listening sessions and partnerships with local nonprofits and municipalities, interventions are directly responsive to community needs while being transparent and accountable.

Broward UP targets neighborhoods experiencing low educational attainment, high unemployment, high poverty rates, and material income inequality. By providing educational opportunities where residents live, Broward UP reaches residents who may otherwise miss out on advancement and provides them the opportunity to receive workforce training, earn technical and industry certifications, and in some cases, college credit. Increased training and education raise the likelihood of residents moving from unemployment, underemployment, or low wages to employment and higher wages. This project approach aligns well with the dimension of “elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind.”

In many ways, Broward UP starts from my own background and where I grew up and the fact that didn’t hear the word “college” until the sixth grade. It was that disparity that I carried with me through adulthood into today. It should not be fortuitous about anyone regardless of their neighborhood hear about college. As a post-secondary institution, I think it's our job not just to be proud of the accolades. We serve a lot of students, but who are we missing? Who wants a better life but cannot figure out how to get there? That's what this is about. It's ensuring that all those who want the opportunity know what exists. It’s about us engaging to create that conduit to pursue that opportunity. Here is the opportunity to work with a post-secondary institution that has decided it is not enough that we only serve the kids that get to us. It is incumbent upon us that we go into deep into the communities that need us most and figure out how we make the greatest difference. Not just for those who have achieved and come from wealth, but those who have nothing more than the desire to succeed. 

I grew up in South Jamaica, Queens, one of America’s most challenged neighborhoods during the height of the crack epidemic.  Crime and violence were pervasive.  I recall the bars on every window of my home, the bullet that came through my living room window, and the police helicopters routinely flying over my home.  I recall no discussions of how to overcome these challenges.  One chance conversation that I will never forget: being in the 6th grade, talking to a fellow 6th grader, and his reveal that the year we were going to graduate from college was in 1999.  In cavalierly speaking of our college graduating date, he unwittingly introduced me to the word “college.” Perhaps my luckiest day. After graduating from high school with a 2.7 GPA, yet still in the top 15% of my class, I went to college at Arizona State University (the top 15% saved my application from rejection).  My life would never be the same. I am merely a predictable example of what happens when opportunity meets a will to improve.  Just as predictable is the pain derived from the existence of will, but no opportunity.   Broward UP bridges the chasm between will and opportunity.

Broward UP is a story of love, humility, and collaboration. At Broward College, we love those we serve. With love comes a willingness to understand, and feel the pain stemming from the challenges of those we serve. We absorb those challenges as our own. For many of my colleagues, these challenges have been with us since we were children. They have been with me since childhood. Perhaps unknowingly, we have been built to be positive reflections of the absence of opportunity. We will not only educate those who can get to us, but provide all – especially the most challenged among us – with the sincere opportunity. Still, I humbly recognize that I have never accomplished anything of importance alone – nothing. My life is paved with individuals who have aided my growth and development without any expected returns. I remember being in college, after realizing that I would need remedial education and possessed no study habits worthy of notation, I asked a brilliant friend how to be good student (every bit of help counts). Similarly, Broward College humbly recognized that the girth of our aspirations could not be realized by a single enterprise. Instead, approximately 9 cities and 15 non-profits have collaborated with Broward College to support and embrace Broward UP. Never before, had I imagined that my service on the 35 boards or committees and the trusted relationships stemming therefrom would ever be so positively synergized to support these efforts. I am ready; Broward College is ready.                  

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Broward UP programming was face-to-face across 15 community partner locations in our most challenged communities. These locations eliminated challenges relating to transportation technology, and simply not having the time to attend a traditional campus. With many residents already struggling, we recognized the need to enhance support of low- and middle-income earners who have been most affected. Accordingly, we adapted our innovative approaches to remote learning implemented for our on-campus students to serve our Broward UP communities. We rapidly transitioned training and services to remote and online learning to continue our commitment. The new model has accelerated our ability to meet the needs of residents and builds on our programming. Even more, since the pandemic we have expanded our course offerings to include options in healthcare, manufacturing, and information technology. We also enhanced our wrap-around services, such as providing loaner laptops and other technology to residents. We have also expanded our wrap-around services through our case managers offering virtual options. The result has been an increase in remote success coaching sessions and career assessments. Since the pandemic, Broward UP has supported over 400 additional residents.  

In times of adversity, knowing who you are is paramount.  As a teenager during a Columbus Day holiday, I was at the neighborhood park when I was attacked by more than 10 individuals.  I was ambulanced to the hospital, where I received more than 60 stitches in my face.  When I arrived home, my friends were waiting for me.  Their ambition was singular: return the favor.  To their surprise, I told them that we would not. That is not who I am. 

Broward College and Broward College students face adversity.  Notwithstanding, to truly embrace our mission of transforming lives, and leverage education to lift people out of poverty, then our behavior must be reflective, despite the adversity.  In two years, we have reprioritized our resources to magnify impact on our students' success It is untenable to know of persistent gaps based on race, ethnicity, poverty level, and age, and do nothing. It is untenable to invest significant resources in areas that have little impact, and do nothing.  I have gone to our most challenged neighborhoods, knocked on the doors of residents, and listened their pain.  I could do nothing, but that is not who I am.     

Broward UP’s approach is rooted in the research of economist Dr. Raj Chetty, one of Harvard’s youngest tenured professors and a McArthur and Andrew Carnegie Fellow. He also oversees Opportunity Insights, a non-partisan, non-profit organization based at Harvard that uses big data to study how to increase social mobility, analyzes a broad range of interventions, and studies the root of the problem locally to develop tailored solutions. By partnering with Broward College via Broward UP, Opportunity Insights is assisting in the effort to assess community needs and create impactful, transformative interventions. Evidence confirms those who live in areas with less poverty have greater opportunities for success, but not everyone can move. What would be possible if instead of trying to move families out of these areas, opportunity was brought to them? In other words, meet people where they are by providing educational opportunities in their neighborhoods, rather than expecting them to travel long distances. Through rigorous research and evidence-based approaches, Broward UP seeks to make impactful changes for the communities served.

Broward UP seeks to end cycles of generational poverty and unemployment/underemployment by providing disenfranchised communities with the opportunities they need while reducing and/or eliminating barriers to success. Dr. Chetty’s work suggests that geography is a greater factor than educational quality in determining incomes. In other words, without intervention, where a person lives generally dictates their potential for income earned. His work on social and economic mobility shows that individuals that are at the bottom income quintile who are given opportunities such as postsecondary education and supported in areas to eliminate barriers to their success will increase their income levels by two to three income quintiles.  Broward UP not only brings access to postsecondary education to those residents but supports them through a pathway to upward mobility – both socially and economically. 

Through Broward UP, barriers such as tuition, transportation, and technology are removed so residents of Broward UP Communities can access in-demand training leading to Broward College certificates and industry recognized credentials in high-demand areas such as Process Improvement, Supply Chain Management, Project Management, Information Technology, Healthcare, and more. Through one-on-one coaching sessions, participants work with Broward UP Case Managers to complete career assessments, educational plans, and goal-setting exercises, as well as a needs assessment to identify wrap-around services needed to promote student success. Other Broward UP activities include non-credit, certificate-based courses, and workshops tailored to learning the skills needed for college and career readiness. Immediate outputs include increase in the number of participants receiving workforce training, the number of participants engaged in readiness workshops, and the number of participants completing short-term trainings yielding a certification. A long-term output will be a replicable model for community-based workforce and education training. The outcomes of Broward UP activities include the increase of skills needed to find a good job, the increase in credentials required for higher paying jobs, and overall increased competitiveness in the workforce for Broward UP participants. Long-term outcomes include increased educational attainment in the target area, lower unemployment in the target area, and increased economic stability leading to economic mobility for residents in the target area.

The College utilized existing grant funding to conduct community listening sessions and assessments to determine areas of interest and need. Afterwards, funds were allocated to assist in offering workforce training in the community. Broward UP is currently serving 307 individuals in the targeted zip codes. Within a year, we expect that number to reach 675. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the most vulnerable communities, we are constantly assessing how Broward UP can help alleviate some of the socioeconomic effects of the pandemic. However, with the current intervention models, we expect to reach 3,375 community members.

The mission of Broward UP is to increase the social and economic mobility of people who reside in Broward County’s neighborhoods characterized as persistent pockets of poverty. The residents in these neighborhoods (zip codes) have up to a four times significantly lower educational attainment, employment, and earnings rate than their counterparts in the county.  Our goal is to raise the social and economic welfare of residents in the lowest quintiles in their areas, along with that of all the residents. Our goals are based on Dr.  Raj Chetty’s work, an American economist and professor at Harvard University.  His work on social and economic mobility shows that individuals that are at the bottom income quintile who are given opportunities such as postsecondary education and supported in areas to eliminate barriers to their success will increase their income levels by two to three income quintiles.  Based on this work, the goal is to ensure that by the third year, participants who complete the program the training program and enter employment or advance will increase their income.  The targeted number is a projected amount based on a sample of students living within the targeted zip codes, as well as historical data and tax records. Raj Chetty and his Harvard-based institute called Opportunity Insights have been contracted by Broward College to assist in determining the increase realized by participants that complete the program.

The primary barriers are financial and technological, caused by unemployment and underemployment exacerbated by coronavirus layoffs and social distancing requirements.  As one of the top tourist destinations in the United States and ports of entry, the hardest hit industries have been hospitality, lodging, and transportation, as the government forced businesses to close prompting them to furlough or permanently terminate employees. The hardest hit areas have been our Broward UP communities where the unemployment rates were already high prior to the pandemic, making it now almost impossible for these residents to cover their monthly expenses. We are remotely linking applicants to grant funding for classes and training, and remotely delivering our training classes.  The residents we serve need financial support, and assistance to acquire internet and technology access, as well as tutoring support for their coursework. They have life stabilization needs for housing and food security, transportation and childcare now that childcare centers are closed. Under everyday non-coronavirus circumstances children could be placed in pre and after-school settings while their parents went to work, but that is not possible at this time. The continued impact of the pandemic moving forward is an unknown factor.  Culturally, the work so far has highlighted the barrier of redefining what “college” means and changing the mindset of those who feel “college” either is not for them or does not have anything to offer them in terms of improving their current living situation.

These barriers can be overcome with additional grant support.  Short term, rapid start for work continuing education/non-credit career workforce training classes are not funded by traditional academic financial aid support programs.  The residents we are seeking to help are not traditional students and are in need of workforce rather than academic training.  Funding is needed for Wi-Fi hotspots, a laptop acquisition and loaning/return program for those who need internet and technology access, as our classes, must be delivered via internet in remote learning formats due to the coronavirus social distancing requirements. Funding is also needed for tutoring support, as for many of the residents we are serving these will be their first fully online course training experiences. The cultural barriers that exist must also be addressed. Broward UP will make efforts to support a growth mindset in these disenfranchised communities through measures such as “I Can” workshops to empower residents with the tools, skills, and connections to make changes to improve their work options and enhance their current living conditions.

Broward UP is a community-wide strategy, the partners consist of CareerSource Broward to assist with work experience and job placement; Urban League of Broward County offering workforce training/education within the community; Broward County Public Schools helping to identify youth and accepting referrals for GED prep classes; Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance identifying community resources and workforce needs; and a number of city governments offering satellite locations where services and workforce training can be offered to eliminate transportation and other barriers.

The Broward College Foundation directly supports the mission of Broward College. All programs are focused on student completion, retention and enrollment. Broward College leverages Broward College Foundation’s relationships with the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, the Broward Workshop and multiple trade associations to identify relevant work experiences and employment opportunities for students. Each of the eight career pathways has an Advisory Council comprised of industry leaders who offer access to state of the art practices and guidance to faculty on curriculum.

The high unemployment rate and the intergenerational poverty are indicators of the need for workforce training and education services within Broward UP communities, however, the Broward UP Community Engagement Commission has been active in the Broward UP target communities conducting surveys and community meetings to determine the specific needs and wants of each individual community. This community outreach has influenced the course offerings and services provided by Broward UP. Broward UP activities link community interests to relevant workforce trainings, industry certifications and technical certificates in an effort to address the recurring themes of unemployment and underemployment. These credentials will assist residents in finding employment and/or improving their current employment options.   Specifically, Broward UP provides a service to the community by way of access to education and workforce training, as well as coordinates resources to help reduce or eliminate the barriers faced by residents in Broward UP communities so that they can be successful. The social return on investment will be the rise of social and economic mobility in these communities.  Indicators will include residents moving up from the bottom income quintiles, increase in education attainment, decrease in unemployment, and breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty in Broward UP communities.

In general, Broward UP is currently being funded through grants and foundation support and is expected to continue this model. Broward UP provides short-term training or certifications, at no cost, as a way to engage residents.  Ideally, we hope that residents will articulate the training and certifications to a credit-bearing Technical Certificate or degree which can be supported by financial aid and/or scholarships. As part of a sustainable model, Broward UP has solidified partnerships with community organizations and cities, through Memorandums of Understanding, for the use of facilities for direct services.  Additionally, the valuable contributions of hundreds of volunteer personnel to the Broward UP movement has been a large part of the model since day one of the movement.

Through a combination of grant and foundation awards from local community organizations and businesses, Broward UP has received over $3,355,000 to date. Private grants and donations include Florida Blue Cross, SunTrust Bank, Bank of America, and other private donors to provide general support, workforce training, staff and other resources to implement Broward UP. We have also received federal and state funding through grants from the US Department of Labor’s Job Corps Grants (approximately $1.2 million), the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Governor’s Job Growth Grant, and the US Department of Education’s Child Care Access Means Parents In School Grant. These funds have allowed us to not only launch Broward UP, but has allowed us to serve over 1,000 individuals, develop workforce training courses, hire staff, provide individual support to reduce/eliminate barriers for residents to be successful.

To continue our efforts, we seek to raise $30 million through grants and donations within the next three years.  We expect to raise these funds through the submission of grant applications to private and public funders such as the US Department of Labor, US Economic Development Administration, US Department of Education and other funders. Additionally, with the impact data that will be collected, we expect to submit application to awards and foundations that support equality and social and economic mobility in underserved communities.

To fully implement Broward UP, the yearly expenses are approximately $10 million. The estimated expenses include the salary and fringe benefits of a Project Director, Success Coaches, and Employment Specialists to provide case management and job placement services or articulation into credit programs; workforce training and industry certification examination costs; salary and fringe benefits of a Coordinator and Recruiter for the implementation of work experience and apprenticeship programs; funds to support a revolving loan program and the salary and fringe of a loan officer to administer the loans; funds for technology and internet connectivity for residents and to be placed in  facilities within the communities; funds for on-site child care; funds for transportation or ride share subsidy for residents; funds for health care coverage for residents participating in training program or credit students living within Broward UP communities; funds to fill funding gap for students that are ineligible for financial aid due to academic probation and other reasons; funds to support academic enrichment and motivation for high school students to pursue post-secondary education; funds to provide emergency funding such as food and clothing for residents in need; funds for evaluation consultants; and marketing and public relations costs.   

While President Haile’s passion project, Broward UP, most closely aligns with the Elevate Prize dimension of “Elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind” through providing opportunities for those in the most vulnerable parts of our community who do not typically have opportunities to receive more training and/or education to better their lives due to multiple Broward UP also supports the other dimensions of the Elevate Prize as well.  Broward UP has “elevated issues and their solutions” began with raising awareness and putting plans into action though the planning and cooperation with residents and community groups and community partners. Identifying the cycle of poverty in our community and strategizing solutions has been a learning process for all partners involved. The cycle of poverty is not unique to our community and the solutions will also be useful beyond our community. The very nature of Broward UP supports the Elevate Prize dimension “Elevating understanding of and between people”. Broward UP is working in our communities in our neighborhoods in a very personal way. Changing the ideas about residents and what their needs are as well as changing the mindset of residents and how Broward UP can assist them. There is an exchange happening. We are all learning how to be better together.   

Partnership goals include partnerships/mentorships to assist in creating a sustainable funding model. Broward UP is a continuous movement that will change the way we conduct business. It requires inclusion of community resources and funding for staffing and workforce training. We created a marketing campaign that includes social media and flags, but we need partners to provide guidance on reaching individuals within Broward UP communities. We would like to partner with individuals or celebrities that have similar backgrounds as some of our residents to share their stories of overcoming adversity. These stories could be recorded messages, campaigns, or workshop speakers to engage residents and inspire them to reach their unlimited potential. We seek to engage partners that could assist in impact evaluation and assisting in obtaining the necessary data to demonstrate Broward UP’s true impact in the community. The data and evaluation would also help obtain funding and enhance marketing efforts.

We have partnered with Dr. Raj Chetty and Opportunity Insight to obtain data that will assist in measuring the changes in income of residents moving from the bottom quintiles. Additionally, we are working on a partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank in examining, understanding, and mitigating the benefits cliff effect. We also seek to partner with other funders such as the McArthur Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates, and others that will help advance our work on equality.