History
The Liberty Partnerships Program was established in 1988 under Section 612, Subdivision 6 of the Education Law to address the significant school dropout rate among New York's youth. The bipartisan bill stated that "the failure of many young New Yorkers to complete their secondary education limits their opportunity for a life of fulfillment, prevents them from advancing into post-secondary education and hinders the State's efforts to provide a well-trained workforce for business and industry in New York."
The Liberty Partnerships Program is included in New York's Statewide Plan for Higher Education as a strategy to maximize the successful transition of middle and high school students, who are at risk of dropping out of school, into graduates, fully prepared for the rigors of higher education, and the competitive demands of a fluid workplace in a global economy.
The Queensborough Liberty Partnerships Program is one of 52 Liberty Partnerships Programs across New York State and one of 20 Liberty Partnerships Programs in the New York City metropolitan area. All partnerships are between colleges and universities and middle and high schools.