Synopsis
This publication is a series of in-depth case studies to examine how three programs which serve a disconnected youth population are utilizing data as a tool for continuous program improvement and ongoing accountability.
The report features the following programs:
- Roca, an organization in Massachusetts which engages the highest-risk youth in Chelsea, East Boston, Revere, and Springfield through transformational relationships (intensive relationship building) and moving them into educational, employment, and life skills programming.
- Our Piece of the Pie, a youth development agency operating in Hartford, Connecticut offering a relationship-centered approach to help young people access and attain a mix of the educational, employment, and personal skills that contribute to their success.
- Diploma Plus, a national network of public schools which engages students through performance-based system that includes competency-based assessment, supportive school culture, and a future focus on postsecondary/career education.
Beyond the Numbers investigates three programs with a proven record of success with the disconnected youth population and catalogues their elements of success in data collection and use to effectively engage this population. The report distills the key lessons learned both for practitioners and policymakers aiming to improve outcomes for the disconnected youth population and raises important policy questions concerning financing, data sharing, and the standardization of outcomes.
