Re-engaging High School Dropouts: A Workforce and Economic Development Strategy for Pennsylvania Bill Bartle Youth Policy Director Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children www.papartnerships.org www.operationrestart.org
Jan 03, 2016
Re-engaging High School Dropouts: A Workforce and Economic Development
Strategy for Pennsylvania
Bill BartleYouth Policy Director
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Childrenwww.papartnerships.orgwww.operationrestart.org
• Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) is a strong, effective and trusted voice for improving the health, education and well-being of children and youth in the Commonwealth.
• PPC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, research-based child advocacy organization that receives no government funding.
Who We Are
Our Vision
• The vision of PPC is that by 2014 it has helped PA move into position as one of the top 10 states in the nation to be a child and to raise a child.
• Pennsylvania currently is ranked 23rd in a state-by-state study on the well-being of America’s children by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
• All children have access to health care that assures their healthy development.
• All children and youth are raised in loving and knowledgeable families free from abuse and neglect.
• All children enter school ready to learn. • All children have access to effective after-school and youth
development programs. • All children have access to high-quality public education
through post-secondary completion.
Our Agenda
Dropouts are an Issue for Pennsylvania
• Last year more than 34,000 young people – 190 students every school day – do not make it to graduation with their class
• In PA there are nearly 110,000 16-24 year olds who have dropped out of school – Westmoreland County – 2,200– Fayette County – 1,800
Dropouts Earn Less
$46,729
$34,100
$28,500
$21,358
0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000
Bachelor's
Somecollege
HS grad
< HighSchool
Median Annual Earnings by Education Attainment in PA (age 25-64)
Dropouts are More Likely to be Unemployed
2.8
4.4
5.6
10
0 5 10 15
Bachelor's
SomeCollege
HS grad
<HighSchool
Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment in PA (percentage for persons 25-64)
Dropouts are More Likely to Live in Poverty
3.8
8.4
12.3
30.1
0 10 20 30 40
Bachelor's
SomeCollege
HS grad
<HighSchool
Poverty Rate by Educational Attainment in PA (percentage for persons age 25-64)
Dropouts Impact Our Communities
-5000 0 5000 10000 15000 20000
Bachelor's
SomeCollege
HS grad
<HighSchool (-$683)
$6,067
$9,485
$16,962
Mean Net Fiscal Contribution by Educational Attainment in PA
Operation Restart Campaign
• Built upon work already going on around dropouts– PA Youth in Transition/RCEPS– Project U-Turn– PA Dropout Summit Planning Committee– WIB Committee for the Workforce of Tomorrow
• Convened statewide stakeholders• Developed Campaign Vision/Goal Statement
– Ensure all Pennsylvania young people (to age 25) who lack a secondary credential have access to high-quality educational options that lead to a high school diploma or GED and postsecondary and/or industry credentials preparing them for a career with a self/family-sustaining wage.
Setting the Public Policy Agenda
State-Level Agenda• Convene cross-departmental workgroup to analyze data
and develop state re-engagement strategy• Measure and report dropout and re-engagement data
Local Partnerships• Develop/sustain local collaboratives, supported with state
and federal funds, to analyze local dropout populations and create strategy to improve educational attainment
Setting the Public Policy Agenda
Education Models• Dedicate funding for small, recovery-focused high
schools/charter schools• Create incentives for school districts and career and
technical schools to re-engage dropouts• Support ABLE programs to incorporate transitions to
postsecondary• Incentivize evidence-based targeted strategies for at-risk
populations• Increase opportunities for re-engaging dropouts to
participate in dual enrollment
Setting the Public Policy Agenda
Education Models (continued)• Assure re-engagement options are rigorous and
participants demonstrate proficiency of state standards
• Provide competency-based secondary and postsecondary credits when appropriate
• Assure college affordability policies include funding for re-engaging high school dropouts
Setting the Public Policy Agenda
Support Services• Establish local dropout re-engagement centers to
provide assessment, counseling and referral services
• Authorize tax credits for employers who provide part-time employment for re-engaging young people
• Designate local or regional governmental offices to coordinate support services
• Build Public Will– Mobilize individuals and organizations in support of
public policy agenda and to build demand– Strategically communicate to increase awareness
• Engage Policymakers– Gubernatorial strategy– Transition to new Administration strategy– Legislative strategy in geo-political target areas/key
committee leadership– Connect partners and grasstops and grassroots
leaders to their local policymakers
Operation Restart Advancing the Work
How You Can Help
• Advocate to make dropout re-engagement a priority in your community and in the Commonwealth– Contact local policymakers, gubernatorial campaigns, transition
teams, new Administration– Write a letter-to-the-editor in support of Operation Restart– Advocacy Toolkit is available on the Operation Restart website –
www.operationrestart.org• Tell us about successful re-engagement programs in your
area• Continue the discussion in your area to develop strategy• Join the Operation Restart campaign
For Additional Information orTo Get Involved in Operation Restart
Contact:
Bill Bartle
Youth Policy Director
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children
717-236-5680
www.operationrestart.org