UPCOMING AYPF EVENTS
Young people involved in the child welfare and/or juvenile justice systems often face significant challenges to long-term success. Systems-involved youth may struggle with an array of education and workforce barriers that hinder their path to postsecondary opportunities and a family-sustaining career. This webinar will explore critical elements at the intersection of policy and practice for supporting systems-involved youth on a pathway to long-term success. Featuring high-quality, research-supported community-based programs from across the country, presenters will discuss issues of data and information sharing, flexible funding, and education and workforce experiences to better support youth with systems involvement. Presenters include Darrin McCall, Youth Empowerment Project (New Orleans, LA); Serita Cox, Co-Founder and Executive Director, iFoster; and Alan Lessik, Executive Director, Civicorps (Oakland, CA).
AYPF RESOURCES AND PUBLICATIONS
This year’s lecture was delivered by Karen Pittman, the President and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment. Pittman discussed some of the challenges facing education and youth policy stakeholders, particularly in communicating with policymakers, communities, and schools to help improve youth outcomes. Referring to lessons from Halperin’s “Guide for the Powerless and Those Who Don’t Know Their Own Power,” Pittman challenged the audience “to know what we want, and be prepared to talk about it in clear, straightforward language.”
This year’s winner, Yasmine Arrington, founded ScholarCHIPS, a scholarship program for students with incarcerated parents as a junior in high school. To date, the organization has raised $100,000 to support nearly 30 students. Arrington is currently a graduate student at Howard University School of Divinity, and she read her award-winning essay at the event.
This brief summarizes a thought leaders’ discussion hosted by American Youth Policy Forum with representatives of national organizations, research institutions, congressional staff, and institution, district, city, and state level leaders to share expertise, build relationships, and identify questions about improving postsecondary attainment. Presentation and discussion focused on obstacles to credential attainment at different points along a pathway, particularly for traditionally underserved students; the role of various systems in providing a continuum of support to students; and strategies to better support students based on research and examples of effective programs, practice, and policies. The brief also identifies opportunities in policy and practice to encourage cross-system coordination in providing structured and supported pathways to credential attainment for vulnerable youth.
This webinar discussed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requirements pertaining to students experiencing homelessness, highlighted promising state and district examples supporting college and career readiness for these youth, shared a young person’s experience with school and related supports, and explored policy and practice recommendations. Speakers included Patricia Julianelle, Director of Program Advancement and Legal Affairs, SchoolHouse Connection, Washington, D.C., Dr. Pat Popp, State Coordinator, Project HOPE, The College of William and Mary, Virginia Department of Education, Jonathan Houston, McKinney-Vento Coordinator, Tukwila, Washington, Hannah Johnson, SchoolHouse Connection Young Adult Leader, and John McGah, Senior TA Consultant, National Center on Homeless Education, American Institutes for Research.
Drawing from a recent AYPF study tour to Denver, Colorado focused on creating a system of high-quality education options to serve all students with an emphasis on alternative settings and the role of accountability.
- Policy Associate Carinne Deeds poses questions we should be asking about alternative education. Read More
- In this post, Policy/Research Assistant Jessica Kannam discusses the role of workforce training integrated into the curriculum that prepares students for success after high school. She reflects on how we can capture these experiences and skills via accountability systems. Read More
- Sharing how others have shaped her thinking related to alternative education and accountability, Deputy Director Jennifer Brown Lerner highlights lesser-considered policy issues. Read More
AYPF’s Forum for Thought blog also had great content from our partners:
- Education Development Center Managing Project Director, Joyce Malyn-Smith, shared steps to ensure we will have our Next Gen workforce ready to tackle the workforce needs of the future. Read More
Click here to view all AYPF publications
Click here to find all briefs and reports
AYPF IS HIRING FOR 2017 FALL INTERNSHIPS
AYPF interns are an integral part of the team and engage in a variety of activities, including researching and analyzing data, writing fact sheets and summaries, and planning and helping to organize briefings on Capitol Hill.
The application process is rolling. For more details, please visit our Employment Page.
RECOMMENDED READING AND RESOURCES
Check these out – recommended reading from the AYPF staff:
CASEL How State Planning for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Can Promote Student Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning: A Examination of Five Key Strategies
This brief provides instructive examples on how states could incorporate social and emotional learning (SEL) approaches into their Consolidated State Plans for ESSA.
Advance CTE The Value and Promise of Career Technical Education: Results from a National Survey of Parents and Students
This report explores the attitudes of parents and students currently involved in Career Technical Education (CTE), as well as prospective CTE parents and students, to improve understanding of the promise and opportunity of CTE. Also included are findings that can help state, district, and local leaders more effectively communicate with parents and students to encourage interested students to enroll in CTE programs.
Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) & the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED) Better Together: Policies That Link Children’s Savings Accounts With Access Initiatives to Pave the Way to College
Children’s Savings Accounts (CSAs) are proven tools designed to help low- and moderate-income families save for college and build students’ expectations for attendance. Recommendations for policymakers and program leaders aim to better leverage CSAs to increase access and affordability and link with postsecondary education.
Youth First Breaking Down the Walls, Lessons Learned from Successful State Campaigns to Close Youth Prisons
Looking at six successful campaigns to close youth prison, this reports gathers lessons learned and strategies for success to share with others who might undertake similar efforts.
Office of Adolescent Heath, Department of Health and Human Services Raising the Bar: Impacts and Implementation of the New Heights Program for Expectant and Parenting Teens in Washington, DC
A rigorous implementation and impact study of the federally-funded program for expectant and parenting youth and their families supported by the Pregnancy Assistance Fund (PAF).
********
The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), a nonprofit, nonpartisan professional development organization based in Washington, DC, provides learning opportunities for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers working on youth and education issues at the national, state, and local levels.
AYPF events and publications are made possible by a consortium of philanthropic foundations: Andrus Family Fund,Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William T. Grant Foundation, The Wallace Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and others.
