About Strong Start to Finish

Scaling Practices that Remove Barriers to Success

Founded in 2018, Strong Start to Finish is a network of policy and research partners, institution and systems leaders and foundations advancing system reforms in developmental education. We work to scale the use of proven, proactive strategies that remove barriers that typically impede racially minoritized students, students with low incomes and returning adults from earning essential college credits in English and math courses in their first year. 

Strong Start to Finish is supported by Education Commission of the States, an education policy organization that conducts research, delivers reports, provides expert counsel on policy issues and convenes education leaders.

Our Mission

Strong Start to Finish works to reform developmental education in higher education systems by scaling policies and practices that remove barriers to success and ensure Black, Brown, Asian American and Indigenous students, students with low incomes and returning adults are supported to succeed in their first year of college.

Our Vision

Higher education systems across the nation provide the access and supports needed to ensure Black, Brown, Asian American and Indigenous students, students with low incomes and returning adults succeed in credit-bearing courses in their first year of college, are inspired to learn and are on course to complete their degree on time.

Our Equity Philosophy

Equity in education is the means to rectify injustices in the distribution of resources, practices and policies. In higher education, it is the process of addressing issues of access and success for those who are marginalized and have been negatively impacted by institutional policies and practices. Leaders in higher education, such as system and institutional leaders, faculty and advisors engage in this ongoing, corrective process by replacing unjust behaviors and policies with ways of thinking and practices that support students who are ill-served in the system.

Equity-conscious leaders know that focusing on these particular students’ needs does not deprive those who sit outside of these categories. Rather, it ensures that we create a system of fairness, where every student can truly receive what they need to achieve in educational settings.

We are proud to be a part of the Higher Ed Equity Network. We’re working with 30+ organizations driving transformation in higher ed to build systems that serve Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students. Together, Equity is Possible.