Contact Information:

Cheryl A Almeida
Program Director
88 Broad Street
Boston, MA 02110
617.728.4446 ext 121
calmeida@jff.org

Description of Organization

Through partnerships with states and communities, national and local foundations, and other organizations, Jobs for the Future  works to accelerate the education and economic advancement of youth and adults struggling in our economy through research, advocacy, policy development, and practical, on-the-ground projects.

Dropout Recovery Related
Projects and Publications

As part of Double the Numbers, an initiative to dramatically increase the number of low-income young people who complete postsecondary education, JFF recently released, Making Good on a Promise: What Policymakers Can Do to Support the Education Persistence of Dropouts.  Based on an analysis of the education trajectory of dropouts using data from NELS, the report finds that, contrary to commonly-held beliefs, dropouts are remarkably persistent in their drive to complete their education and offers several critical lessons for policymakers looking for new ways to give dropouts a second chance.

Staying the Course: High Standards AND Improved Graduation Rates is a joint initiative of Achieve, Inc. and JFF designed to help selected states gain meaningful traction on this dual agenda through investigative site visits at the state and district level, cross-site convenings, and briefings on the findings and recommendations included in state/district reports.  The work will result in frameworks and tools for other states and districts to use in engaging with this agenda and enacting a policy development process that is rooted in the practice.

JFF partners with the Youth Transition Funders Group in its multi-city Strategic Assessment Initiative for struggling students and out-of-school youth. As the national partner in that initiative, JFF works withcross-sector partnerships in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Portland,OR, and San Jose to improve outcomes and options for disconnected youth, address race and class inequities, and gain national visibility for this important systemic work.

JFF is a core partner in Boston’s High School Renewal initiative working with the Boston Public Schools—and specifically with the Office of High School Renewal—to guide the development of Boston's portfolio of high schools and inform the ways in which the district manages and supports diverse options of schooling, all of which prepare students for success in college and work.