HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION & THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE:

1. HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION & THE ART OF THE POSSIBLE: Towards Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life Karen Pittman, Executive Director The Forum for Youth Investment October 20, 2008

2. The AmericanDREAM Allyouth can be ready. Everyfamily and community can be supportive. Eachleader can make a difference.

3. The American REALITY Too FewYouth are Ready.Only 4 in 10 are doing well. Too FewFamilies and Communities are Supportive. Fewer than 2 in 5 youth have the supports that they need. Too Few Leadersare Making a Collective Difference.

4. The AmericanDILEMMA Fragmentation.Complacency.Low Expectations. At a time when“Failure is NOT an Option” and (The Hope Foundation)“Trying Hard is NOT Good Enough”(Mark Friedman) THE GAP BETWEENVISION AND REALITYHAS TO BE CLOSED

5. Education attainment pipeline at age 26 Education attainment pipeline at age 26 30% receive some type of post - secondary credential Below Below 150% of 150% of Federal Federal 67% 14% 41% 11% 19% Poverty Poverty 7% AA Level* in Level* in 12% BA+ 8 grade th 8 grade th Complete Complete Enroll in Complete Complete post - high post - credential/ GED secondary school secondary license*** degree diploma Above Above 150% of 150% of Federal Federal 89% 7% 64% 8% 45% ** Poverty Poverty 7% AA Level* in Level* in 38% BA+ 8 grade th 8 grade th * Federal Poverty Level (FPL) varies by household size. When t he subjects of this data sample were in 8 grade in 1987, 150% of the FPL for a family of four was $17,415 in 1987 dollars. th Now, 150% of the FPL is $30,975 for a family of four. ** This data point has the greatest divergence among the 3 data sources used for this analysis. This represents a conservative number with some datasets reporting up to 85%. *** The value of a “ Credential/License ” varies dramatically so additional analysis will be required to disaggregate the different types. However, recent research does show that obtaining a 1 - year post - secondary credential is the first major step function improvemen t in earnings over high school grads. Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Educat ion Statistics, National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (N ELS:88/2000). Only 30% of poor 8th graders have some type of post-secondary degree by age 26 compared to more than half those living in above poverty families.

6. The Ready by 21 Challenge: Changing the Odds for Youth by Changing the Way We Do Business Change the oddsfor youth Change the waywe do business Change the landscapeof communities

7. The Ready by 21 Challenge: Changing the Odds for Youth by Changing the Way We Do Business What are the best strategies to improve the numbers? Change the oddsfor youth What can we do now to change the waywe do business? High School Graduation is a powerful focal point

8. Think Graduation & Beyond High school graduation rates are an important focal point. But there are three reasons NOT to establish high school graduation as THE END GOAL: • High school graduation is no longer an adequate end goal for youth. • High school graduation is no longer an adequate predictor of workforce or college readiness. • Increasing high school graduation rates without addressing the educational needs of high school dropouts is only a partial solution, especially in communities and among populations with very high dropout rates.

9. Are they ready? WANTED: Fully Prepared, Fully Engaged Young People Ready by 21™ Quality Counts Initiative

10. New Employer Survey Finds Skills in Short Supply – Are They Really Ready to Work?– Employers ranked 20 skill areas in order of importance. The top skills fell into five categories: • Professionalism/Work Ethic • Teamwork/Collaboration • Oral Communications • Ethics/Social Responsibility • Reading Comprehension

11. Employers Find These Skills in Short Supply • 7 in 10 employers saw these skills as critical for entry-level high school graduates 8 in 10 as critical for two-year college graduates, more than 9 in 10 as critical for four-year graduates. • Employers reported that 4 in 10 high school graduates were deficient in these areas Note: Only 1 in 4 of four-year college graduates were highly qualified.

12. In the Middle 35% Doing Well 43% Doing Poorly 22% Too Few Young People are Ready Researchers Gambone, Connell & Klem (2002) estimate thatonly 4 in 10 are doing wellin their early 20s. 22% are doing poorly in two lifeareas and not well in any • Productivity: High school diploma or less, are unemployed, on welfare • Health: Poor health, bad health habits, unsupportive relationships • Connectedness: Commit illegal activity once a month 43% are doing well in two lifeareas and okay in one • Productivity: Attend college, work steadily • Health: Good health, positive health habits, healthy relationships • Connectedness: Volunteer, politically active, active in religious institutions, active in community

13. We Know What it Takes to Support Development • The National Research Council reports that teens need: • Physical and Psychological Safety • Appropriate Structure • Supportive Relationships • Opportunities to Belong • Positive Social Norms • Support for Efficacy and Mattering • Opportunities for Skill-Building • Integration of Family, School and Community efforts

14. Do these Supports Really Make a Difference? Even in Adolescence? ABSOLUTELY Gambone and colleagues show that youth with supportive relationships as they enter high school are5 times more likelyto leave high school “ready” than those with weak relationships… SOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development

15. Do these Supports Make a Difference in Adulthood? … and those seniors who were “ready” at the end of high school were more than4 times as likelyto be doing well as young adults. SOURCE:Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development

16. Providing These Supports CAN Change the Odds Gambone/Connell’s research suggests that if all young people got the supports they needed in early adolescence, the picture could change… from 4 in 10 doing well to 7 in 10 doing well

17. A Surprising Percentage of Youth Don’t Receive them… By Any Name The NRC List • Physical and Psychological Safety • Appropriate Structure • Supportive Relationships • Opportunities to Belong • Positive Social Norms • Support for Efficacyand Mattering • Opportunities for Skill-Building • Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts • Basic Services (implied) The Five Promises SAFE PLACES CARING ADULTS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OTHERS EFFECTIVE EDUCATION HEALTHY START

18. 13% 25% 45% 50% 37% 30% 6 – 11 Years Old 12 – 17 Years Old One Third of 6-17 Year Olds Lack the Supports They Need • According to the America’s Promise Alliance National Promises Survey, only 31% of 6-17 year olds have at least 4 of the 5 promises. 21% have 1 or none. • The likelihood of having sufficient supports decreases with age: • 37% of 6-11 year olds have at least 4 promises; 13% have 1 or none. • Only 30% of 12-17 year olds have at least 4 promises; 25% have 1 or none.

20. WANTED: High Quality School and Community Supports

21. It Takes More than School Reform Educational Researcher Paul Hill, University of Washington, author of It Takes a City: .. the traditional boundaries between the public school system’s responsibilities and those of other community agencies are themselves part of the educational problem… Hill asks:“How can [a] community use all its assets to provide the best education for all our children?” His answer:Community education partnerships

22. Take Aim on the Big PictureHow are Young People Doing? High school graduation influences adulthood and is influenced by earlier progress.

23. Every Age, Every Setting Counts 20+ . . . 0 Civic Social Emotional Physical Vocational Cognitive Outcome Areas ? Ages ? ? School After School Morning . . . Night At its best, school only fills a portion of developmental space Times of Day

24. Who is Responsible for the Rest? ? • Families • Peer Groups • Schools and Training Organizations • Higher Education • Youth-Serving Organizations • CBOs (Non-Profit Service Providers and Associations) • Businesses (Jobs, Internships and Apprenticeships) • Faith-Based Organizations • Libraries, Parks, and Recreation Departments • Community-Based Health and Social Service Agencies

25. Quality Counts Everywhere The NRC List • Physical and Psychological Safety • Appropriate Structure • Supportive Relationships • Opportunities to Belong • Positive Social Norms • Support for Efficacyand Mattering • Opportunities for Skill-Building • Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts • Basic Services (implied) The Five Promises SAFE PLACES CARING ADULTS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP OTHERS EFFECTIVE EDUCATION HEALTHY START

26. Identifying Common Definitions for Quality

27. Putting Dropout Reduction Strategies in Context Increase Opportunities, Supports and Incentives for Post-Secondary Ed and Work Identify and Leverage Community Supports for Learning and Work Preparation • Reduce the Dropout Rate: The 10-Point Plan • Support accurate graduation and dropout data • Establish early warning systems to support struggling students • Provide adult advocates and student supports. • Support parent engagement and individualized graduation plans. • Establish a rigorous college and work preparatory curriculum for high school graduation. • Provide supports for struggling students to meet rigorous expectations. • Raise compulsory school age requirements under state laws. • Expand college level learning opportunities in high school. • Focus the research and disseminate best practices. • Make increasing high school graduation and college and workforce readiness a national priority. Address the Needs of Those Who Have Already Dropped Out Consider Strategies That Help Young People Arrive in High School Healthy, Safe and Ready To Succeed – Starting with Early Childhood.

28. What it Takes Goals & Data Stakeholders Coordinated Improvement Strategies Aligned Policies & Resources Public Demand Youth & Family engagement

29. ENGAGING ALL YOUTH POPULATIONS TOWARDS THE GOAL OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND BEYOND In light of the Ready by 21 framework, think about and discuss how and to what extent your community plan connects the issue of improving the high school graduation rate to: • ALL OF THE YOUTH POPULATIONS: including younger youth (who should enter 9th grade healthy, safe and ready to succeed in high school), in-school youth who may need extra time to achieve academic success & graduate, and youth 16 to 20+ who have left school w/out diplomas. • ALL OF THE OUTCOMES: beyond academic competence only, including health, social, vocational, civic and other outcomes that allow young people to be ready for post-secondary training, work and adult life responsibilities. • ALL OF THE SETTINGS: in school and out, including school, community, business, family and higher education settings. • ALL OF THE LEADERS: starting with young people themselves and engaging leaders from schools, community institutions & groups, business, government and parents.

30. Checking the Community Pulse For each principle (all youth, all outcomes, all settings, all leaders), ask: • How important is it? • How well are we currently doing? • How ready are we to act differently?

31. What it Takes How do community plans address & affect: Does our vision include all of the youth populations that need opportunities and supports in school, outside of school and beyond high school? If not, how should we change it? What else do we want to know about young people that might give us an accurate understanding of the problem we are tackling and the goals we are trying to achieve? What are our key resources in schools, community institutions/organizations, families, neighborhoods and the business sector that need to be mapped (e.g. skill-building classes, jobs, apprenticeships, coaches/mentors/tutors, emotional/social supports, financial aid, transportation, health care)? What strategies are our best bets for fully addressing the needs of all populations of youth across outcomes and across settings, and for the broadest range of outcomes? Who do we need to engage and how do we need to engage them differently?

32. The Forum for Youth Investment www.forumfyi.org