NAZ is effective because families receive one-on-one support from the NAZ Engagement Team, made up of skilled “family coaches” from the North Minneapolis community.

Through trusted relationships from trained individuals—from their own community—the Engagement Team inspires a new commitment from parents and solidifies the belief that their children will graduate from college. The Engagement Team works with parents to identify needs and barriers, set family goals, encourage behaviors that support academic outcomes, and connect them with promising and proven strategies to support success. They work side by side to propel NAZ kids effectively through the NAZ solutions to college and beyond.

Opportunity Alignment

Opportunity alignment refers to the process of convening organizational partners, coordinating their efforts in the Zone, and connecting families to the resources and opportunities provided by the partners. The Engagement Team lines up the appropriate resources and opportunities that families need to accomplish their goals and fully implement their achievement plans. The key tool for this strategy is NAZ Connect, an online web-tool that acts as an opportunity database and shared achievement-planning system.

NAZ Connect

NAZ Connect is an online achievement-planning and data collection system that supports our high-touch approach. Families work with their Engagement Team to develop one set of goals within NAZ Connect that are supported across multiple providers. The Engagement Team, with families and partners, implements regular NAZ student progress monitoring through the system. Families, schools, and organizations are now working together at every turn to drive success and provide opportunities, support and solutions to persistent challenges.