PHILADELPHIA, PA — The Alliance for Decision Education has received a capacity building grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation to expand its College & Career Decision-Making Incubator within Kansas City Public Schools. The initiative will extend to nine middle and high schools, equipping students with tools to make informed choices about their futures.
The program is designed to help students develop self-awareness, agency, and analytical thinking—skills that play a decisive role in college and career outcomes. It builds on a model piloted at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in the 2023–24 school year, where students integrated decision-making strategies into their college search process. At Lincoln, 170 juniors and seniors visited a dozen colleges and used structured reflection tools to assess their options. Afterward, nearly three-quarters reported greater clarity about their values in higher education, and two-thirds adjusted their college application plans as a result.
The Kauffman Foundation views the program as part of a broader effort to improve economic mobility in Kansas City. “Organizations driving economic mobility—through career pathways, college access, and entrepreneurship—are central to Kansas City’s momentum,” said Dr. DeAngela Burns-Wallace, the foundation’s president and CEO. “These grants are designed to amplify their reach and ensure they are equipped to seize this window of opportunity with clarity and purpose.”
For students, the lessons go beyond immediate academic choices. Decision Education emphasizes structured thinking, reflection, and adaptability—skills intended to guide graduates through careers, further schooling, and the uncertainties of adult life. One 11th grader who participated said the reflection tool “allowed me to better understand my goals in life, and what I want in the future.” Another reported becoming “more open-minded when it comes to making critical decisions.”
Adriana Massara, the Alliance’s chief operating officer and interim executive director, said the grant strengthens a key partnership. “In a world of constant change and complexity, every student deserves the fundamental skills to make rational decisions—abilities that will profoundly shape their lives both now and in the years ahead,” she said. “We’re deeply grateful to the Kauffman Foundation for their generous support and to Kansas City Public Schools for their committed partnership.”
With the expansion, the Alliance aims to give more students across Kansas City the structure and confidence to approach their post-graduation choices with purpose and clarity.
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