Results of the Developmental Assets Survey of Arlington Youth Presentation to the Advisory Council on Instruction October 14, 2009

The Partnership Who? –16 members of the community –8 senior staff from School and County agencies What? –Mission: To improve the health, well-being and safety of children, youth and families in Arlington –Vision: An Arlington where all young people are cared for, valued and receive the support they need to become contributing, caring adults

Developmental Assets Among Arlington Youth 2009 The importance of Developmental Assets Progress in building Assets –Overall –Asset linked to academic success Continuing the community’s efforts

Developmental Assets External Assets (20): Work from the outside-in –experiences –opportunities –relationships Internal Assets (20) Work from the inside-out –values –skills –attitudes

Then and Now: Asset Levels th grade students th grade students th grade students Average number of Assets reported by Arlington youth, March 2009

Young people are better off Comparing survey data from 2001 and 2009 Number Measured 2001 to to 2009 ImprovedWorsenedImprovedWorsened Assets Deficits54040 Thriving82010 Risk Behaviors

Reductions in Alcohol Use and Depression

Assets and Academic Success More Developmental Assets, fewer risk behaviors –That interfere with learning –Linked to dropping out of school High-asset youth have better grades Longitudinal studies show improved outcomes after asset-building efforts

Low-Asset Youth More Likely to Report School Problems “School problems” defined as skipping school 2 or more times in past month and/or having below a C average

High-Asset Youth have Higher GPAs Study linked GPA from school records with survey responses Study controlled for gender, race, ethnicity family composition, and SES Note: Data are from single high school in MN

Building Assets Reduces Failure Three-year Asset- building effort resulted in sharp declines in failing grades among freshmen Other studies in CO, MI have found improved outcomes Note: Data are from single high school in MN

Changes in School-Related Assets External assets – 8 th, 10 th and 12 th grade

Survey Questions Related to Teachers’ Behaviors

Changes in School-Related Assets Internal assets – 8 th, 10 th and 12 th grade

Increased Assets Among Youth in 12 th Grade

Gender Gap in Internal Assets Girls are much more likely than boys to report the internal assets most closely linked to academic success

New Opportunities from School- Specific Data Makes clear that Asset-building efforts are needed throughout the community Allows focused efforts within school communities –Assets are brought to school as well as built in school –Efforts should include parents, other caring adults and young people themselves Establishes baseline levels for those efforts

Variation in Average Number of Developmental Assets MinimumMaximum Arlington middle Schools (8 th grade only) 2024 Arlington high schools and programs 1822

Summary Steady progress –Increased levels of Developmental Assets –Improvement in other indicators of well-being Improvements in school-related Assets –Maintained gains seen in 2006 –Additional gains Continued efforts needed to raise Asset levels