Improving Transition to Higher Education for Out-of-School Youth

A Forum co-sponsored by NYEC - March 14, 2008

 

Progressing through the educational pipeline is a series of challenges for many students. For approximately one-third of U.S. public high school students, these challenges prevent them from graduating high school. But many young people who have left school want to re-engage in education.  A recent survey of high school dropouts indicated that 77 percent definitely or probably would re-enroll in a high school for people their age if they could. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of programs that provide the type of support needed for this cohort of students. This forum, co-sponsored by the American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) and the National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC), highlighted factors influencing the success of youth programs that provide support for formerly out-of-school youth as they complete their high school studies and transition to postsecondary education and employment.

Betsy Brand, Director, AYPF, expressed the importance of the work that NYEC has done with out-of-school youth.  Brand commented that the major focus of the Higher Education Act (HEA), which is currently being reauthorized, is on student financial aid and financial barriers to postsecondary access.  “The Higher Education Act is all about money.  It’s important that young people have access to grants but at the same time, there are more issues than money that need attention,” stated Brand.  Brand believes that all youth making the transition to postsecondary education need supports and should be examined.  Brand explained, “Mental health issues are a major and serious concern and a large number of high school students and out-of-school youth need mental health services. We need to get more services throughout the pipeline, but higher education doesn’t recognize the need.”  Furthermore, Brand expressed the need to recognize that the point of postsecondary access for most out-of-school youth is through community colleges, not four-year colleges. 

Mala Thakur, Executive Director, NYEC, asserted that a high school diploma is no longer enough education for good paying jobs and that lifelong learning is critical to career success. Thakur explained that, for those entering postsecondary institutions, a disproportionate number of low income and minority youth fail to complete postsecondary education programs (Education Trust, 2006). Although postsecondary completion rates are approximately 50%-60%, “College admission, rather than college success or completion, is deemed to be the measure of success for many programs serving disconnected youth,” stated Thakur.

NYEC has been engaged in an initiative focusing on connecting out-of-school youth (ages 14-24) to higher education. In 2006, NYEC in conjunction with Decision Information Resources, Inc. (DIR), a research and evaluation firm, conducted a research study to examine program practices and supports of 11 youth programs providing transition support for out-of-school youth between secondary  and postsecondary education. The purpose of the research study was to explore the impact of providing a comprehensive range of opportunities, services, and supports for youth in secondary education programs, during transition, and after enrollment in postsecondary education programs on students’ chances of persistence and retention, satisfactory academic performance, and completion. Program elements identified as critical to re-engaging struggling students and disconnected youth in education and assisting them in the transition into and through postsecondary education include:

• Mandatory Program Orientation
• Creative and Flexible Curricula and Instruction
• Comprehensive Support Services
• High Expectations
• Caring Staff
• Low Participant to Staff Ratios
• Youth Input
• Financial Assistance
• Collaborative Partnerships
• Postsecondary Transition Support

The key barriers and challenges that disconnected youth face to enrolling and persisting in postsecondary institutions include:

• Lack of financial resources to pay for postsecondary education tuition, expenses and basic needs.
• Lack of personal motivation among youth participants.
• Absence of a caring and nurturing adult.
• Shortage of comprehensive support services.
• Limited academic preparation.
• Lack of empirical data and research.

Thakur expressed that federal policy should consider addressing critical need areas to serve this population in four ways: 

• Data:  Building the infrastructure and capacity needed to collect, report, and use data on youth participation and outcomes across youth serving systems.
• Funding and Access to Funding:  Funding programs that increase the academic preparedness of out-of-school and disadvantaged youth so that they can successfully transition into and through postsecondary education.  In addition, increasing the amount and accessibility of need-based aid and decreasing reliance on student loans.
• Collaboration:  Promoting and supporting collaborations and partnerships between postsecondary education institutions and out-of-school youth serving agencies in order to establish a supported bridge into and through college for out-of-school youth.
• Transition, Academic Preparation & Support:   Ensuring former dropouts and struggling students receive support, services, and opportunities designed to increase their postsecondary enrollment, persistence and completion similar to what is offered to high school graduates and high achieving students.

Bob Rath, President/CEO, Our Piece of the Pie® (OPP ®), explained, “It takes a lot of support to help young people to be able to compete in higher education.” OPP is a youth development agency in Hartford, Connecticut that assists youth ages 14 to 24 to become successful adults, by effectively collaborating and partnering with schools, colleges, community agencies and businesses to promote independence and economic success. OPP offers several programs such as their “Pathways to Success” where a youth development specialist creates an individualized program to help youth throughout high school and college completion.  Using a relationship-centered approach, Rath explained that the goal is to help youth attain educational, employment, and personal skills that lead to success by earning a college degree from a 2- or 4- year college, obtaining long-term gainful employment, or by earning a postsecondary vocational credential. Rath stated, “We have to support youth incrementally over time.” At the younger end of the spectrum, OPP provides academic support by focusing on literacy and helping youth build academic writing skills. As youth progress and prepare for a post-secondary education, OPP provides services like SAT preparation, assistance in completing Financial Aid Forms, taking youth on college tours, and more. In addition, Rath believes that it is important to support youth continuously through their academic careers which may include providing items such as books and other supplies, as well as critical emotional support. Furthermore, Rath briefly discussed the importance of increasing needs-based financial aid in order to reduce the amount of loans needed to fund a postsecondary education.

Rath also discussed the process and importance of building their data infrastructure and the implementation of their management information system. “The three key elements to implementation were to define our business practice, to understand our organization’s culture, and to examine our workflow,” stated Rath.  Furthermore, Rath believes that a management information system must be seen as a friend and that users must take ownership of the data system in order to become proficient users of the data available through the system.  Currently, OPP’s data system allows them to connect with Hartford’s school system to look at personal data such as grades for OPP participants.  

Sangeeta Tyagi, Vice President for Education, YouthBuild USA, expressed the need for positive collaboration between youth agencies and postsecondary educational institutions. Tyagi stated, “The larger principle is that the collaboration between community based organizations and post secondary institutions needs to be seen as mutually beneficial and aimed towards the same shared goals.  If the CBO is seen as a drain on resources, then collaboration is not positive -- the college needs to be committed to supporting low income youth who are first time college aspirants by allocating resources of time and money to ensure their success.”

YouthBuild serves unemployed and undereducated low-income young people ages 16-24 who have dropped out of school or are in danger of dropping out.  YouthBuild helps youth work toward their high school diploma or GED while emphasizing career development and postsecondary placement and success, leadership development and community service.  “As soon as they leave our program, to transition to college, they’re dropping out.  How do we support young people during this transition – how do we ensure that they stay long enough to earn a post secondary credential?” asked Tyagi. 

Tyagi reiterated that costs continue to rise but resources are declining for postsecondary education.  To address the financial need, Tyagi expressed the importance of looking at whether students are spending their limited financial resources like Pell grants for remedial courses and then running out of funds by the time they get to credit bearing courses in college. In order to address this issue, we need to identify students’ educational gaps while they are still participants in YouthBuild so they can place in credit bearing courses in college. 

In addition, Tyagi mentioned that YouthBuild USA has the Asset Trust – this fund is set up as a small emergency gift fund to meet those needs that while not being large in themselves, can often derail a college engagement. Gifts of up to $2000 can assist in a down payment for a car, in paying the remainder of a semester’s tuition, or in meeting any other personal or family emergency. These funds, in addition to an Individual Development Account, an AmeriCorps Education award and part-time or full-time work go a long way towards ensuring that students have the funds available for their college credential.

In addition, attention also needs to be given to explicit skill building in areas of: financial literacy and budgeting, college level research, understanding the structure of college and learning how to negotiate through it, time management, note taking, and crisis management. “We have indications that dropping out of college can often be the first response to any and all crises – hence building graduates’ skills in responding to and managing life crises should increase the level of credential attainment.”

Tyagi also stated that mentoring and student advising on college campuses are another way that young people can be supported through college completion.  Tyagi explained, “You need more than one mentor. You need someone from the student’s own background who can model success and another adult from another background who may be able to help open more doors for the graduate.”

Highlights from the Question and Answer session

A question was asked about how programs can help disconnected youth learn basic social and communication skills. Tyagi responded that programs need to provide opportunities which build the mental toughness of young people.  In the first month, YouthBuild pushes young people to see if they are able to make necessary changes from how they used to communicate and interact with people.  Thakur added that transition programs can provide the glue for young people so that they can succeed in postsecondary education.  By continuing to work with youth throughout their postsecondary career, programs are able to continuously address challenging issues that arise.

A question was asked about what makes for productive collaboration and partnership and what businesses can do to be involved. Thakur explained, “Programs can’t be seen as an add-on or extra flavor.  There has to be a commitment from both sides.”  She further commented that many partnerships are based on personal relationships, but stressed  partnerships need to have written agreements in case of personnel changes.  Employers and community colleges and certificate programs need to work together to create more connections for students. 

Resources

Transition to Higher Education Policy Framework

 

Presenters

Betsy Brand has served as Director of AYPF since 2004, after joining the organization as Co-Director in 1998. As Director, Ms. Brand oversees the projects and staff of AYPF and specializes in high school reform, career preparation, and college access and success. Ms. Brand’s education policy career started when she served as a Legislative Associate for the House Committee on Education and Labor from 1977 to 1983. She subsequently served with Senator Dan Quayle as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee from 1983 to 1989, where she handled all federal education and training legislation. In 1989, Ms. Brand was appointed Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult Education at the U.S. Department of Education, under President George H.W. Bush. From 1993 to 1998, Ms. Brand operated a consulting firm, Workforce Futures, Inc., focusing on policy and best practices affecting education and workforce preparation.

Ms. Brand serves on multiple boards including the Center for Occupational Research and Development, the National Child Labor Committee, and the Educational Policy Institute and also serves as the Chair of the National High School Alliance Steering Committee.

Mala Thakur leads the National Youth Employment Coalition's 250+ membership network in 40 states and the District of Columbia. Mala oversees NYEC's efforts focused on policy, quality standards, professional development, education, member services, and research. Prior to her appointment as Executive Director, Mala served as the Deputy Director of NYEC.  For over 15 years, Mala has worked extensively in the areas of urban education and workforce development for youth and adult populations. Mala spearheaded the creation of NYEC's education portfolio and has led national and state technical assistance efforts for workforce development, school-to-work, and juvenile justice initiatives. Mala frequently delivers presentations and workshops at national conferences on workforce development, education, and youth development policy and practice.  Before joining NYEC in 1999, Mala served as Director of Workforce Development at the New York Citywide School to Work Alliance where she provided technical assistance to School to Work partnerships and tracked federal and state legislation on education and workforce development. Before working at the School to Work Alliance, Mala directed policy, research, and advocacy efforts at the National Puerto Rican Forum pertaining to education, employment, and training issues for Latinos and other underserved populations in New York City. Mala has also worked in dropout prevention programs in the New York City public school system and taught English as a Second Language at the New York Association for New Americans.  Today, Mala serves on the Board of Directors of Advocates for Children in New York and the Steering Committees of the National High School Alliance, the Campaign for Youth, and the Youth Policy Action Center in Washington, DC. Mala also serves on the National Assessment of Career and Technical Education Independent Advisory Panel, mandated by the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006. She holds an M.A. in Education from New York University and a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in French from the University of California, Berkeley.

Bob Rath, President/CEO of Our Piece of the Pie®, is a results-oriented leader with significant accomplishments in general management and program/product development over 30 years.  Key accomplishments at OPP include the current transformation and re-branding of the organization (formerly Southend Community Services) into an organization focused on helping Hartford youth become successful adults; developing the first (and only) National Youth Employment Positive and Effective Practices Network ("NYEC PEPNet") awarded program in CT;10 years of successful management of Hartford AmeriCorps recognized in Things That Work for Youth Volume 2; facilitating development of PROGRESS, a citywide employment and training collaboration of multiple agencies in 1996; facilitating a city-wide effort to secure USDOL Youth Opportunity Grant (awarded 2000) and leading successful implementation. OPP has been recognized as a high performing youth agency and was taken into the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation Youth Development Fund in 2004. Bob has been active in National Youth Employment Coalition (NYEC) since 1996, chairing   PEPNet subcommittees and serving as past Chair of Board of Overseers at New Leaders Academy, on the NYEC Board, and on the NYEC Treasurer and Finance committee.  He was elected Chairman of the Children’s Council in CT for 2007, and was recognized as “Local Hero” by Bank of America in November 2006.

Sangeeta Tyagi is Vice President for Education and Career Development at YouthBuild USA. She is responsible for deepening education practice and culture across the YouthBuild field so that low income youth who have dropped out of school are fully prepared for college and career success. In her role, she provides leadership on issues related to education policy as these relate to the educational opportunities for low income, out of school youth. She provides leadership for YouthBuild USA’s Gates Foundation funded National Schools Initiative as well as for other grant funded education initiatives.  Sangeeta’s work has been in the field of education, youth development and social justice. She has served on the founding board of a charter school project as well as on the board of the International Institute of Boston – an immigration and refugee services provider. Before joining YouthBuild USA, she served as Chief Operating Officer at the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee in Cambridge, Massachusetts – an international human rights organization. She has also been a faculty member at Boston College, UMass-Boston, and at Roanoke College in Virginia. Her co-edited anthology on multicultural education, Beyond A Dream Deferred: Multicultural Education and the Politics of Excellence has received an award from the Gustavus Myers Center for Human Rights. She has also co-edited Names We Call Home: Autobiographical Essays on Racial Identity. Sangeeta has a Ph.D. in Sociology from Brandeis University.

 

 

This brief summarizes an American Youth Policy Forum that took place on March 14, 2008 on Capitol Hill, reported by Andrew Satanapong.

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