What's New

07/12/10

Preparing Students for the Rapidly-Changing World: Implications for Instruction and Assessment (Forum 3) This is the third in a series of three AYPF Capitol Hill forums to address the need for a new approach to education that ensures that students graduate with the range of skills and abilities necessary for success in the knowledge economy. This final forum in the series focused on assessment, and highlighted some of the tools that are being used to measure student acquisition of the competencies needed for future success.  The forum also showcased how two states have infused performance-based measures into their assessment systems to ensure student proficiency in these applied skills.  Panelists also addressed how such performance-based measures fit with the common core standards and efforts to create common assessments. Speakers includes Elena Silva, Senior Policy Analyst, Education Sector (DC) and Sharon Lee, Secondary Redesign Specialist, Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Multiple Pathways (RI), and Susan Gendron, Policy Coordinator, Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (ME). (Forum Brief)

06/11/10

Building a Portfolio of Options to Ensure All Students Graduate This forum highlighted the work of the Association for High School Innovation (AHSI), a collaboration of education providers and advocates that works to create pathways and expand options to future success for all youth. Over the past seven years, AHSI members have engaged in a variety of efforts at the state and local level to create and sustain the development of education options to ensure all students graduate.  Presenters shared lessons learned from their work along with implications for policy. Presenters included Talmira Hill, Director, Association for High School Innovation (NH); Elliot Washor, Co-Director, Big Picture Learning (RI); Nick Mathern, Associate Vice President, Policy & Partnership Development, Gateway to College National Network (OR), and Dr. Vincent Mays, Director, Office of Alternative Education, Newark Public Schools (NJ) (Forum Brief).

05/21/10

Preparing Students for the Rapidly-Changing World: Implications for Instruction and Assessment (Forum 2) This forum is the second in a series of three forums that discussed the skills students need to be successful and address the imperative for drastically changing teaching, instruction, and assessment in our middle and high schools. Speakers at this forum addressed innovative approaches to instruction and the implications of such instructional changes for teacher preparation and professional development. Presenters at this forum included Tony Wagner, Co-Director of the Change Leadership Group in the Harvard Graduate School of Education (MA), and Monica Martinez, President of the New Tech Network (CA). (Forum Brief)

05/14/10

Envisioning a Different School Day: How Boston and New York Are Using Expanded Learning Time As we seek to prepare students for college and career success in the 21st Century, there has been a great deal of discussion around modernizing the traditional school schedule and creating a different school day. This forum showcased two innovative models implemented in Massachusetts and New York City that provide more instruction time for students by lengthening the school day. The Expanded Learning Time Initiative in Massachusetts adds 300 hours to the school year for more enrichment opportunities, increased instruction time, and more time for teacher planning and professional development. Expanded Learning Time/New York City expands learning time by at least 30% for participating schools by creating partnerships with community organizations to redesign the traditional school day and structure. Presenters at this forum included Jennifer Davis, President of the National Center on Time & Learning and Co-Founder of Massachusetts 2020 (MA); Saskia Traill, Policy Director of The After-School Corporation (TASC) (NY); Corbett Coutts, Assistant Principal of The Mario Umana Middle School Academy in East Boston (MA); and Valerie Sawinksi, Principal, JHS 185 (NY). (Forum Brief)

04/23/10

Preparing Students for the Rapidly-Changing World: Implications for Instruction and Assessment This forum is the first of three that will discuss the skills students need to be successful and address the imperative for drastically changing teaching, instruction, and assessment in our middle and high schools. Speakers included Ann Cook, Director, New York Performance Standards Consortium (NY) and Arleen Thelemaque a student from the Urban Academy (NY). (Forum Brief)

03/12/10

Increasing Capacity and Quality in Afterschool Programs: Lessons learned from New York City’s Beacons Beacons are one of the nation's first citywide after school initiatives and now operate in five cities, serving more than 150,000 children, youth, and community members. The Beacons Young Adolescent Initiative (BYA) is a four-year initiative of the Youth Development Institute (YDI), funded by The Atlantic Philanthropies. The initiative is designed to address two key issues in the afterschool field: the need for high quality programs and the reduced participation of young people as they enter adolescence. This forum discussed the results of the BYA's recently released 3rd year evaluation report, examine YDI's capacity building strategies and their impact, and provide policy recommendations. Speakers at this event included Rob Abbot, Program Director, Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (NY); Anita M. Baker, Program Director, OMG Center for Collaborative Learning (PA); Sandra Escamilla, Director of Programs, The Youth Development Institute (NY); Peter Kleinbard, Executive Director, Youth Development Institute (NY), and Sarah Zeller-Berkman, Director Beacons National Strategy, the Youth Development Institute (NY). (Forum Brief)

03/05/10

A Comprehensive Approach to Success in Education and Careers for Out-of-School Youth The Community Education Pathways to Success (CEPS) model targets out-of-school youth who have expressed interest in earning a GED, by addressing low literacy and math skills through an integration of youth development, social supports, and career-related services. Through building partnerships with community-based organizations and community colleges, participants are supported through completing their education, entering college, finding working, and contributing to their communities. This forum provided an overview of the model, discussed results from a recently released evaluation, and provided recommendations for policy.  Presenters included Peter Kleinbard, Executive Director, Youth Development Institute (NY); Vivian Vazquez, Director, CEPS, Youth Development Institute, Patricia Campbell, President, Campbell-Kibler Associates, Inc. (MA), and Jack Doyle, Executive Director, New Settlement Apartments (NY). (Forum Brief)

02/05/10

Success at Every Step of College and Career Preparation The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) has recently released a new publication, Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond, which profiles programs that have been proven to help young people complete high school and be prepared for success in postsecondary education and careers, based on the results of recent, high-quality evaluations. This half-day event will provide an overview of the findings of the report, showcase a variety of programs that support college- and career-readiness, explore implications for federal and state policy, and include a networking lunch. Speakers will include Greg Darnieder, Special Assistant to the Secretary on College Access, U.S. Department of Education (DC); Ryan Reyna, Policy, Analyst, Education Division, Center for Best Practices, National Governors’ Association (DC); Katharine Oliver, Assistant State Superintendent for Career and Technical Education and Adult Learning, Maryland State Department of Education (MD); Michael Wotorson, Executive Director, Campaign for High School Equity (DC); James Connell, President, Institute for Research and Reform in Education (NJ); Rachel Singer, Director of Academic Affairs, Kingsborough Community College (NY); Joel Vargas, Senior Project Manager, Jobs for the Future (MA); and David Sinski, Executive Director, After School Matters (IL). (Forum brief)

 

 

 

 

July's e-bulletin

 

June's e-bulletin

 

May's e-bulletin

 

Resources         

 

Comments to the Senate HELP Committee on ESEA Reauthorization

 

High School Career Academies: A 40-Year Model for Improving College and Career Readiness