National Youth Employment Coalition: Information Center


Rethinking high school: Supporting all students to be college-ready in math (2008)
	This report introduces three key program elements identified as essential to strong math programs, provides a brief introduction to the schools where the elements are employed, and profiles each school in greater depth to provide detail and context about how each element is being implemented. Program elements explored in this research are: offering high level math courses and supports, continually improving teachers' skills and math content knowledge, and using student information to drive instruction.

The Next Step: Using Longitudinal Data Systems to Improve Student Success (Mar. 2009)
	This paper focuses on the 10 actions that states should take to ensure that all stakeholders use state longitudinal data effectively for continuous improvement.

State Education Agencies & Learning Supports: Enhancing School Improvement (Spring 2009)
	As the focus on school improvement at a state education agency moves from mostly a compliance approach to playing a greater role in capacity building, the agency's leadership needs to rethink student and learning supports. That is the focus of this report. Given that almost half of the chief state school officers have assumed their position in the last three years, major changes are underway across the country. We hope the content of this report can help focus agency leadership on the importance of fashioning systemic changes that recognize the primary and essential role a system of learning supports can play in school improvement policy and practice. We begin with a look at how state education agencies currently conceive and organize efforts to guide and support district and school approaches to addressing external as well as internal barriers to learning. Then, we explore recommendations for state education agencies to expand school improvement policy, frame intervention, and rework operational infrastructure. We conclude by delineating specific implications for revising school improvement guidance.

Grad Nation: A Guidebook to Help Communities Tackle The Dropout Crisis
	America's Promise Alliance commissioned *Grad Nation*, a new tool comprising the best evidence-based practices for keeping young people in school paired with suggestions for effectively preparing them for life after high school. It is a guidebook that provides a road map to help communities tackle the dropout crisis. It is designed to help communities develop tailored plans for keeping students on track to graduate from high school, prepared for college, work and life. Grad Nation includes ready-to-print tools and links to additional online resources, in addition to research-based guidance. It provides information and tools for developing and implementing a customized program that's right for individual communities.

Making the Right Turn: A Guide About Improving Transition Outcomes for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Corrections System - Jan. 2009
	This Guide has been developed to assist professionals in the workforce development system in gaining a better understanding of the needs of youth involved, or at risk of being involved in the juvenile corrections system. The "workforce development system" includes all national, state, and local level organizations that plan and allocate resources (both public and private), and operate programs that assist individuals in obtaining education, training, and job placement, as well as assist employers with training and job recruitment. The types of organizations and array of settings making up the workforce development system are quite varied, and include programs operating in the community and in the juvenile corrections system, such as youth development programs, vocational rehabilitation programs, corrections-based career and technical education, diversion programs, high schools, colleges, after-school programs, and job training programs, including those offered through One-Stop Career Centers. - January 8, 2009

Empowering the 21st Century Superintendent: 5 Themes & Action Steps for Technology Leadership (2008)
	This report highlights five themes and action steps for technology leadership, which emerged from the Consortium for School Networking's (CoSN) extensive conversations with superintendents and from topics that are gaining nationalâ??and internationalâ??interest among educators, parents, policymakers and the business community: 1. Strengthen District Leadership and Communications 2. Raise the Bar with 21st Century Skills 3. Transform Pedagogy with Compelling Learning Environments 4. Support Professional Development and Communities of Practice 5. Create Balanced Assessments

School organization: Structuring schools so students succeed (2008)
	When students lose interest in school, the results can be devastating. We know from research that academic failure and student disengagement can go hand in hand, and are the strongest predictors for dropping out of school altogether. So making students feel like they are part of school has crucial benefits. Can the way schools are organized increase students' connection to school? Thankfully, the answer is yes. Research consistently points to two answers: Moving toward smaller schools, and reducing the number and impact of transitions. To learn more, read this guide, which contains: At a glance: A summary of the guide's findings Basic facts: A one-page handout of facts about good school organization Full report: The original report with all of the research Q&A: Commonly asked questions about school organization Case studies: How districts in different areas of the country have handled school organization (Baltimore, New York City, the Southwest, & South Carolina Web resources: Additional resources for those deciding how to configure their districts' schools References: The research behind the guide

Eight Elements of High School Improvement: A Mapping Framework (July 2008)
	The National High School Center's goal is to encourage researchers, policymakers, and practitioners at all levels to engage in comprehensive, systemic efforts to maximize attainment for all high school students, with a focus on those students who have been historically underserved. To this end, we have developed a framework that consists of eight core elements and provides a lens for mapping school, district, and state high school improvement efforts. (July 2008)

Lost in Transition: Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers - 2008
	The nation's work force will be in jeopardy unless all high school students are better prepared for college study and today's highly skilled workplace, a new SREB report says. Many high schools in SREB states focus primarily on students who plan to enroll in four-year colleges, overlooking the students who will enter community colleges, technical schools or the job market. As a result, many students are dropping out of high school and are on a lifetime path to low-wage jobs or unemployment, notes Lost in Transition: Building a Better Path from School to College and Careers. The report recommends actions SREB states can take to encourage all students to prepare for the challenges ahead. It is based on discussions by nearly 500 state leaders at forums sponsored by SREB and the League for Innovation in the Community College.

Organized Communities, Stronger Schools: A Preview of Research Findings (March 2008)
	Findings from a landmark six-year study by the Community Involvement Program of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform reveal that sophisticated community organizing at the grassroots level produces major improvements in student achievement. The study uncovered strong and consistent evidence that indicates effective organizing: contributes to higher attendance rates and test scores and increased graduation rates and college-going aspirations; fosters school-community relationships, parental involvement and engagement in schools; and, stimulates important changes in policy, practices and resource distribution that expand capacity and equity in traditionally underserved communities. The study's authors also argue that effective organizing groups achieve impact through a combination of system-level advocacy and school- or community-based activity. As a result of continued and consistent parental, youth and community engagement, improvements have been both generated and sustained. In addition to educational change, organizing groups contribute to the development of new civic capacity, as adults and youths report higher goals and expectations for themselves and their families after participating in community organizing groups. Authors: Kavitha Mediratta, Seema Shah, Sara McAlister, Norm Fruchter, Christina Mokhtar, Dana Lockwood. March 2008.

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