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Resources for Reconnecting Youth
Federal Action Could Address Some of the Challenges Faced by Local Programs that Reconnect Youth to Education and Employment
The National Youth Employment Coalition Information Center has the latest policy documents, including this one from Government Accountability Office (GAO). Based on interviews agency officials, experts, and directors
of 39 local programs, GAO analyzed the elements
of successful efforts and the main challenges they face, and how new federal coordination efforts may address them.
Voices
from the Street: A Survey of Homeless Youth by Their Peers
The California Research Board has conducted a survey of
some of the hardest-to-reach and least-studied homeless
people: youth who sleep on the streets or in cars, squat
in abandoned buildings or "couch-surf." Journalist
Nell Bernstein and Lisa Foster present the final report.
 What
Works for Disconnected Youth -- Two Studies
Two recent reports form the Department of Education's
What Works Clearinghouse look at dropout prevention and
what can help improve educational outcomes for struggling
students:
- Intervention:
New Chance. New Chance helps young mothers
on welfare who have dropped out of school improve
their employment readiness and parenting skills. In
a randomized trial in 10 states, the program had some
small impact on mothers' school completion.
- Intervention:
First Things First. This is a reform model designed
to boost the academic achievement and labor market
skills of young people in schools that serve a large
number of economically disadvantaged students. It
was found to have no discernible effects on staying
in school -- but researchers note this is its first
year of implementation.
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Education, Graduation & Work Readiness
Diplomas Count 2008
This year, 1.23 million students will fail to graduate from high school. This report from Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center examines "P-16"
or "P-20" councils that link precollegiate schooling and higher
education. To date, 38 states have created councils.
 Youth-Led Action on Graduation Rates
This issue of the Graduation for All e-newsletter, published by the
Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA), profiles youth who
are speaking out and becoming advocates across the country.
Count Every Student; Make Sure Every Student Counts
IDRA has a great overview of the dropout measurement issues and
how you can get informed, get connected and get results in your
community. Some tips are tailored to Texas, but can be adapted to just
about any state.
First
in the Family: Advice About College from First-Generation
Students
For two years, Next Generation Press/What Kids Can Do
has been gathering the wisdom of first-generation college
students on the critical issues of college access and
success. The result is a growing collection of resources
by and for first-generation students. (Created with support
from the Lumina Foundation.)
- Vol.
I: Your High School Years. It's tough to aim
for college if other family members have not. This
book offers encouraging and practical guidance, stories
and checklists. It is geared towards students in grades
8 to 12.
- Vol.
II: Your College Years. First-generation students
share the sort of know-how that passes down through
generations of college-educated families: building
relationships with professors, choosing courses that
can open new doors, managing time and more.
Y outh
Conference on High School Dropout Rate - What do Teens
Think?
This past winter, about 200 teens gathered to discuss the school
dropout rate in New York City, covering such factors as
peer pressure, lack of support from parents, schools and
the community, barriers for immigrants and gender inequities.
The Children's Aid Society has posted recommendations
from the conference on its Website.
Beating
the Odds: The Real Challenges Behind the Math Achievement
Gap -- And What High-Achieving Schools Can Teach Us About
How to Close It
One of the largest and most persistent inequities in the
U.S. education system is the gap in math achievement along
income and race lines. Here's a look at what's
working in some secondary schools, and the what we can
learn in terms of policy, practice and teacher preparedness.
 Educating Children Without Housing: Primer
for Educators, Advocates and Policymakers
This manual, from the American Bar
Association Commission on Homelessness and Poverty, helps state
education officials, school districts and staff implement the
McKinney-Vento Act governing education for homeless children and youth.
It includes innovative ideas and strategies, and how the Act applies to
disaster response. (Cost: $14.95.)
Spotlight on the States
Community
Education Pathways to Success Re-Engaging Dropouts
Many of the students who drop out begin
high school with low literacy levels. In New York, the Youth Development
Institute's Community Education Pathways to Success offers academic, vocational and personal support
to connect youth with GED programs and post-secondary
skills.
 Solving
California's Dropout Crisis
A new report from the California Dropout Research Project
looks at the rates, causes and costs of high school dropout
and what the state, schools and districts can do about
it. Among the findings: the graduation rate for African-Americans
in California is 57 percent, Hispanics 60 percent, Native
Americans 52 percent, Asians 84 percent and Whites 77
percent.
DC Youth Groups to Tackle High Dropout Rates
Youth
and youth advocates are leading the way in Washington, DC: Critical
Exposure, a nonprofit that teaches students to use documentary
photography and their own voices to advocate for education reform is
partnering with the DC Alliance of Youth Advocates to plan a city-wide
strategy to address dropout in DC.
Empowering
Students: How Georgia College Early College Changes Student
Aspirations
Georgia College Early College (GCEC) blends high school
and college -- along with education supports like mentoring,
afterschool programs, flexible scheduling and counseling
-- so students can simultaneously earn a high school diploma
and one to two years of transferable college credit, tuition
free. This case study from Jobs for the Future looks at
how GCEC works to raise the aspirations and achievements
of young people.
Avoidable
Losses: High-Stakes Accountability and the Dropout Crisis
A new Rice University and the University of Texas-Austin
study finds a strong association between high-stakes accountability
and dropping out. The Texas system was the model for
the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Among the findings: Texas public high schools have an overall graduation
rate of 33 percent.
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Foster Care and Child Welfare
Research
 Coming of Age: Employment Outcomes for Youth Who Age Out of Foster Care Through Their Middle Twenties
We know a fair amount about young people "aging out" of foster care at 18 or 21, but there is less research on how they fare in their mid-twenties. This Urban Institute study linked several sources of data to examine employment outcomes for youth in three states -- and found that those who age out of foster care continue to experience poor employment outcomes at age 24.
Addressing the Health Care Needs of Foster Care Children
Children who have been abused or neglected often have greater physical
and mental health needs and developmental delays than other high-risk
populations. In fact, studies suggest that nearly
60 percent of children in foster care experience a chronic medical
condition, and one-quarter suffer from three or more. This First Focus
policy brief analyzes some of the key health care issues facing foster
care children.
Youth
with Disabilities in the Foster Care System: Barriers
to Success and Proposed Policy Solutions
At least one-third of children in foster care have physical
or mental disabilities and are at higher risk for poor
educational, employment and well-being outcomes. This
report from the National Council on Disability finds that
federal investments are undercut by lack of coordination
across programs and agencies. It offers recommendations
for policymakers.
 New Online: Child Maltreatment 2006
An
estimated 905,000 children in the 50 states, DC and Puerto Rico were
determined to be victims of abuse or neglect in 2006, according to this
major report from the Children's Bureau (a division of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services).
 Latest Foster Care and Adoption Data Released
Just in time for Foster Care Month, the federal Children's Bureau
offers the latest national statistics on adoption and foster care in
its Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS)
Report. Among the findings:
- The number of children in foster care dropped from 513,300 in 2005 to 510,000 in 2006.
- During
the same time period, there was a significant increase in the
termination of parental rights for children in foster care.
Multimedia:
National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being
This is the first nationally representative study of children
who have been reported to authorities as suspected victims
of abuse or neglect and the public programs that aim to
protect them. Here's a multimedia trifecta of related
resources to help you get the facts: 
- Video:
Chapin Hall's Fred Wulczyn and The Brookings Institution's
Ron Haskins discuss the findings in their new book
on the survey, Child
Protection: Using Research to Improve Policy and Practice.
- Audio:
listen to a recording of the related panel discussion.
Mental Health, Ethnicity, Sexuality and  Spirituality Among Youth in Foster Care
This Casey Field Office Mental Health Study examines
a mental health survey of 188 youth (ages 14 to 17) in foster care in
five states. It goes beyond the basics to probe teens' perceptions of
their ethnic and gender identity and sexual orientation, including
their development of ethnic identity while in foster care and
experiences with discrimination. Among the findings:
 Child
Abuse and Neglect Cost Nation over $100 Billion per year;
Most Federal Child Welfare Funds Unavailable for Prevention
Prevent Child Abuse America estimates that
child abuse and neglect cost the national $104 billion
annually in direct, indirect and
long-term costs. A companion report from Kids
Are Waiting looks at effective prevention programs, and
notes that states are allowed to use only 10 percent of
the major federal child welfare funding (Title IV-E) for
prevention programs and supports.
Tools
Promoting
Healthy Families in Your Community: 2008 Resource Packet
 Here's
a toolkit to help service providers strengthen families
by promoting key protective factors that prevent child
abuse and neglect. The packet includes tip sheets in both
English and Spanish to share with parents.
Recommendations
for Policy, Practice and Research on Youth Permanence
Casey Family Services has released a report from the research
roundtable held during the last National Convening on
Youth Permanence in 2006. The report offers an overview
from national experts of how to document and understand
youth permanence strategies for children in foster care.
New
Comprehensive Site for Youth Aging out of Foster Care
Teens
leaving or aging out of foster care in New York have a
new one-stop hub for information, inspiration and real
resources to help them transition to adulthood. The site
-- developed by New York City Administration for Children's
Services; New Yorkers For Children; and Youth Communication
-- houses teen-written stories, legal and educational
information and links to programs and services. Other
states and cities can use it as a model for making resources
available to teens, foster parents and staff.
 Foster
Care Central
Call it the Facebook or MySpace for those in the child welfare field. This nonprofit social network brings together social workers, foster parents and others
interested in improving the lives of foster and adoptive
youth.
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Juvenile Justice News
KIDS COUNT 2008: A CFK Overview
 To
make positive change for kids, you need to know where things stand,
what's working and what needs to be improved. The annual KIDS COUNT
Data Book offers both data and context for 10 indicators of child
well-being, and drills down to a state and local level. This year's
essay offers a "roadmap for reform" in juvenile justice. CFK's Maria
Allen attended the KIDS COUNT launch event in Washington, DC, and has
this overview.
Second
Chance Act Passes
The Senate has passed the Second Chance Act (HR 1593),
which is designed to help former prisoners -- both adults
and juveniles -- receive housing, employment, education
and health care assistance and family strengthening services
where possible. President Bush is expected to sign the
bill into law, the Child Welfare League of America reports.
New Programs Train for Greater Impact in Juvenile Justice
Georgetown University's Center for Juvenile Justice Reform has launched two new training programs called the Certificate Program/Breakthrough Series Collaborative for Individuals and Multi-jurisdictional Teams. The goal is juvenile justice reform, better integration of youth-serving systems and improved outcomes for young people. For more information email jjreform@georgetown.edu or call the Center at 202-687-0880.
Native American Youth and the Juvenile Justice System
Native American youth are disproportionately involved in the juvenile justice system and their representation rises in the two most punitive sanctions: waiver to the adult system and out-of-home placement. This National Council on Crime and Delinquency analysis looks at differential treatment of Native Americans in the juvenile justice system and the factors that influence those numbers.
 Youth
Courts: Record Numbers
Youth and teen courts are alternatives to the traditional
justice system that are designed to intervene in early
stages of youth delinquency. They involve young people
and adults as lawyers, jurors and judges. This George
Washington University report, An
Empirical Update and Analysis of Future Organizational
and Research Needs, finds record numbers:
- 116,144 young people who committed a crime or offense
appeared in local youth court and teen court programs
across America in the most recent year;
- More than 97,000 of these young people successfully
completed the program;
- 133,832 volunteers (both youth and adults) participated
in local youth court programs.
A
Matter of When, Not If: Involving Kids in Court
In another angle on court involvement, this article from
the New York-based City
Limits online magazine examines a movement to include
more young people in their own Family Court hearings.
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Cross-Cutting Campaigns
 Kicking
Off the Ready by 21 Challenge
The Ready by 21 Challenge is not an initiative or project. It's a
collaborative national effort to change the way we all do business, so
we can improve the outcomes for young people. Sponsored by the Forum for Youth Investment and its partners,
the aim is to help leaders make decisions that lead to
bigger goals, bolder strategies and better partnerships
to ensure all young people are ready
for college, work and life.
 Stunning
Data and a New Campaign to Prevent High School Dropout
Only about half (52 percent) of students
in the main school systems in our nation's largest cities finish high school
with a diploma. The number is as low as 35 percent in
Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit and Indianapolis.
Some schools and areas, however, have made progress in
raising graduation rates, proving that it can be done.
On April 1, the America's Promise Alliance kicked off
a campaign to turn these numbers around.
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Connectforkids.org Originals
Getting Beyond the Foster Care System: What
Works for Teens
 Could you have made it entirely on your own at 18 or 21? Each year, roughly
25,000 young people "age out" of the foster care system, many without
family or economic supports. Without connection to a caring adult and
other supports, these youth face steep challenges, including higher
rates of unemployment, poor educational attainment, health issues,
incarceration and homelessness.
But those are the problems, the statistics -- what about the potential
of these teens, their desire to succeed? We spoke with Betsy Krebs,
co-director of the New York City-based Youth Advocacy Center, about
what works to help teens aging out of foster care succeed.
The
Scorecard: Tracking Reach and Results
For many child and youth organizations, tracking the reach
and results of the work is a challenging task. As part
of our ongoing Scorecard series, CFK and Child Advocacy
360 are sharing examples of organizations' efforts
to measure impact and results.
This week, Children's Rights, Inc. shares its follow-up
to the groundbreaking Hitting
the M.A.R.C. foster care reimbursement study, and
our own Hershel Sarbin offers his take on the difficult
yet important job of keeping score.
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Caitlin Johnson and Thaddeus Ferber
Connect for Kids and the Forum for Youth Investment
The CFK Update is published in partnership with Child Advocacy 360.
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