Disconnected Young Adults in New England
This study provides an overview of the scope, scale, and consequences of the current disconnected young adult challenge. The authors offer policy recommendations to make the education system more flexible for this high-risk population. In New England alone, 10%, or 142,000 young adults ages 18-24 are “disconnected,” or leaving the public education system without the… Read More ›
Building Multiple Pathways: Approaches, Relevant Programs and Implementation Considerations
This report from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation offers alternatives, or “multiple pathways” for learners to be prepared for post-secondary options. High school graduation rates for students from traditionally underserved populations tend to be low—figures show that students from families with income in the bottom 20% dropped out of high school at six times the rate… Read More ›
The Learning Season: The Untapped Power of Summer to Advance Student Achievement
This report examines the benefits of summer learning opportunities, drawing on research that attributes the achievement gap to a lack of access to quality summer programs. Recommendations for policymakers and researchers include tapping philanthropic organizations, spreading awareness, and collecting additional data on underserved populations. Source Organization: The Nellie Mae Education Foundation VISIT THE RESOURCE
Tackling the Challenges of Rural Community Partners
This webinar began with a brief presentation about rural community organizing from Dr. Mara Tieken, assistant professor of education at Bates College. Then, the leaders of three rural community organizations – Richard Witt, executive director of Rural and Migrant Ministries in upstate New York; Helen Johnson, founder of Citizens for a Quality Education of Holmes… Read More ›
Working Together to Make Meaningful Parent Engagement
The goal of this webinar was to think through the roles of different education stakeholders in developing opportunities for parents from historically marginalized communities to meaningfully engage in school reform. Using her new book, A Cord of Three Strands, as a framework, Dr. Soo Hong from Wellesley College presented a new approach to parent engagement in… Read More ›
Youth in Action Vimeo Channel
This Vimeo channel contains videos from Youth in Action’s Next Generation Media. Youth in Action is a Providence, Rhode Island based organization where youth share their stories, practice leadership, and create change in their communities. Topics covered include culturally relevant education, equity, mental health, and student activism. See a sample video here: Creating Culturally Relevant… Read More ›
Maine Department of Education
This website, Maine’s Department of Education, provides information about the state’s vision, goals, and core priorities. Maine’s website is well-organized and provides education information for a number of different audiences. It is worth taking a look at if you are interested in learning more about how a state might support a student-centered education system. Source… Read More ›
Students as Allies in Improving Their Schools
What if teachers and students became steady allies rather than frequent adversaries in their daily classroom encounters? With support from MetLife Foundation, What Kids Can Do has explored this question for several years in an initiative called “Students as Allies.” In Chicago, Houston, Oakland, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, What Kids Can Do has collaborated with… Read More ›
Student-Centered Learning and the Achievement Gap
The Nellie Mae Education Foundation President & CEO Nick Donohue talks about how student-centered learning can help close the achievement gap. Source Organization: The Nellie Mae Education Foundation VISIT THE RESOURCE
Student Research for Action
From 2003 – 2006, What Kids Can Do provided competitive grants to high school students nationwide, inviting them to tackle important school and community issues. Here we provide a rich archive of this initiative. Student Research for Action sends several critical messages: that complex problem solving, independent judgment, and teamwork merit a place in every… Read More ›
The Schools We Need: Creating Small High Schools That Work For Us
What’s so different about a small high school, compared to a large one? When school leaders decide to create more small schools in their district, how do students experience the change in their everyday routines, as well as in their sense of power and possibility? In this publication-a joint effort of What Kids Can Do,… Read More ›
Center for Youth Voice in Practice and Policy
This organization, the Center for Youth Voice in Policy and Practice—a virtual center—provides a fresh new platform for young people as knowledge creators and policy advocates. Using well-honed research and documentation strategies, the work digs into issues that matter to youth: good schools, college access and success, technology, discrimination, equality, negative youth stereotyping, programs and… Read More ›