Credit recovery coaches help students cross the finish line

September 23, 2025

More than 200 students in Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD, a district of 24,000 outside Dallas, benefited from the Credit Recovery Coach program. Funded by the Horace Mann Educators Foundation, the program placed trained coaches on campuses to provide academic support, accountability, and encouragement.

The results over the course of the grant show that having a credit recovery coach makes a measurable difference:

• 211 students received direct coaching support
• 159 students (75%) graduated within the grant cycle—a higher rate than in the previous term
• Students working with coaches completed an average of 5.13 courses, compared to 3.74 courses for those without a coach

Beyond the numbers, students who once doubted their ability to graduate gained confidence and renewed purpose. One student, planning to drop out for a GED, instead finished his coursework with his coach’s help and proudly walked the stage as a summer graduate in 2025.

Teachers, counselors, and parents called the coaches gamechangers, filling critical gaps with encouragement, structure, and care. As one administrator noted: “These positions are crucial for our students…In order for their academics to flourish, students’ basic needs must be met.”

Launched in response to challenges after COVID-19, the program’s success has resulted in a third Horace Mann Educators Foundation grant to continue and expand it.

To see more about the Credit Recovery program, watch the video here.