Community-Based Education

Briefs

06/22/10

Preparing College- and Career-Ready Students: Elements of Successful Programs: This webinar examined the elements of program models that have demonstrated effectiveness in preparing students for postsecondary access and success, based on the results of rigorous evaluations. This event was a follow up of the Success at Every Step forum from February 5, 2010. Presenters included Sarah hooker, Program Associate, American Youth Policy Forum (DC); James connell, President, Institute for Research and Reform in Education, (NJ); Ryan Reyna, Policy Analyst, Education Division, Center for Best Practices, National Governors’ Association (DC); and Joel Vargas, Senior Project Manager, Jobs for the Future (MA). (Webinar). This event was recorded and is now available on the webinar page.

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)

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 will discuss 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 will include 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)

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, and Jack Doyle, Executive Director, New Settlement Apartments. (FORUM)

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 provided an overview of the findings of the report, showcased a variety of programs that support college- and career-readiness, explored implications for federal and state policy, and included a networking lunch. Speakers included 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)

07/17/09

Preparing All Youth for College and Career Success is A Top Priority, and a Great Deal of Attention has Been Focused on the Need for Rigorous Academic Skills to Ensure Success. However, in order to ensure all youth have the skills to access and succeed not only in postsecondary education but in their careers as well, it is important to consider other types of skills that young people need, including problem-solving, critical thinking, employability, communication, collaboration, and personal responsibility. One way to help young people develop these skills is to provide opportunities outside of school to develop new knowledge and skills, experience real work, and interact with professionals. This forum will highlight how apprenticeships can engage high school students through hands-on learning and unique experiences under the guidance of skilled adults. The forum is based on the new book, The Means to Grow Up: Reinventing Apprenticeship as a Developmental Support in Adolescence, by Robert Halpern, which describes qualitative studies of apprenticeship programs for high school students, and will showcase two types of apprenticeship programs in the U.S. Robert Halpern, Professor, Erikson Institute for Graduate Study in Child Development (IL), Darla Burton, Regional Coordinator, Youth Apprenticeship Program, Southwest Wisconsin Consortium (WI),  Diane Postoian, Learning through Interest Partnership Coordinator, The Met Center (A Big Picture School) (RI), Jinel Britto, 2009 Graduate of The Met School (A Big Picture School) (RI). (Forum) 

04/24/08

Building Afterschool Capacity at the Local Level: Spotlight on the NYC City-Wide Out-of-School Time Initiative. Under the current mayor’s leadership, NYC is investing in numerous capacity-building techniques in their OST system, such as evaluation, data systems, and professional development—and the city’s youth are already experiencing positive results because of it. Speakers: Jeanne B. Mullgrav, Commissioner, NYC Department of Youth & Community Development; Susan Matloff-Nieves, Assistant Executive Director, Queens Community House; and Elizabeth Reisner, Principal, Policy Studies Associates, Inc. MOTT OST Forum Series. (Forum Brief)

04/07/06

How Do High School Students Get Academic, Leadership, Work Skills, and Still Manage to Serve the Community? With students and faculty from Howenstine High School, Tucson, AZ. (Forum brief)

04/07/06

How Do High School Students Get Academic, Leadership, Work Skills, and Still Manage to Serve the Community? With students and faculty from Howenstine High School, Tucson, Arizona (Forum brief)

10/21/05

Coordinated Efforts Focused on Workforce Development for Out of School Youth in Portland with Carole Smith, Director of Alternative Education, Portland Public Schools, Linda Huddle, Director, Alternative Programs/PCC Prep, Portland Community College, and Andrew Mason, Executive Director, Open Meadow Alternative Schools. (forum Brief)

9/16/99

What Works in Youth Employment and Training: A Discussion With the 1999 PEPNet Awardees. (Forum Brief)

Trip Reports

03/17/03 -
03/19/03

Education, Community and Workforce Development in Rural Mississippi. Field Trip to to learn about statewide education reform initiatives, community organizing for education reform, and successful after-school and out-of-school youth programs in the Delta region of Mississippi.  (Trip Report)

03/18/99 -
03/19/99

Dearborn and Detroit, Michigan — Non-Traditional Partnerships for Workforce Development. (Trip Report)

05/19/95

Center for Employment Training (CET) and YouthBuild in Baltimore, MD. (Trip Report)

Publications