1. Ready by 21: Ready for college, work and life Changing the odds for youth on the national, state and local level New York Office of Children and Family Services September 28, 2009

2. Why does Ready by 21 exist? Too few students are ready for college, work or life. More high school diplomas are not the only answer.

3. New Employer Survey Finds Skills in Short Supply Employers ranked 20 skill areas in order of importance. The top skills fell into five categories: 7 in 10 employers saw these skills as critical for entry-level high school graduates Employers reported that 4 in 10 high school graduates were deficient in these areas  Professionalism/Work Ethic  Teamwork/Collaboration  Oral Communications  Ethics/Social Responsibility  Reading Comprehension

4. 43% are doing well in two life areas and okay in one - Productivity : Attend college, work steadily - Health : Good health, positive health habits, healthy relationships - Connectedness : Volunteer, politically active, active in religious institutions, active in community 22% are doing poorly in two life areas and not well in any - Productivity : High school diploma or less plus unemployed or on welfare - Health : Poor health, bad health habits, unsupportive relationships - Connectedness : Commit illegal activity once a month 2 in 104 in 10 35% are doing okay – doing poorly in no more than one life area and doing well in at most one – and doing okay in the rest Researchers Gambone, Connell & Klem (2002) estimate that only 4 in 10 young people are doing well in their early 20s.

5. What Research Tells Us The National Research Council List Physical and Psychological Safety Appropriate Structure Supportive Relationships Opportunities to Belong Positive Social Norms Support for Efficacy and Mattering Opportunities for Skill-Building Integration of Family, School and Community Efforts

6. Do these supports really make a difference? Even in adolescence? ABSOLUTELY Gambone and colleagues show that youth with supportive relationships as they enter high school are 5 times more likely to leave high school well-prepared than those with weak relationships. These students are then 4 times more likely to be doing well as young adults.

7. from 4 in 10 doing well to 7 in 10 doing well Providing These Supports CAN Change the Odds Gambone/Connell’s research suggests that if all young people got the supports they needed in early adolescence, the picture could change…

8. Help leaders improve what they do, how they do it and rethink why they do it… Enabling increases in the availability and quality of family, school and community supports needed to help children and youth… Leading to positive outcomes and raising the probability that young people are ready for college, work and life by 21 What’s needed? 8 CHILDREN & YOUTH FAMILY COMMUNITY & SCHOOL LEADERS Accountability Supports Outcomes © The Forum for Youth Investment. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the Forum for Youth Investment. Change the odds for youth Change the way we do business Change the landscape of communities

9. Ready by 21 National Partnership Mobilization Partners: Mobilize Leaders in Communities:  United Way of America  Corporate Voices for Working Families  American Association of School Administrators  National Conference of State Legislators  National Collaboration for Youth  America’s Promise Managing Partner:  Forum for Youth Investment

10. Ready by 21 National Partnership National Technical Partners:  David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality  Results Leadership Group  Child Trends  The Search Institute  The Finance Project  nFocus  Community Services Group

11. We Advocate for a “Big Picture Approach” Take Aim Take Stock Target Action Track Progress The Forum couples field knowledge with conceptual, practical and “power” tools to help state and local leaders quickly organize available information (about youth outcomes, community supports and current initiatives and resources) to support data-driven “big picture” planning and accountability.

12. Mapping the Program Landscape Assessing and Improving Quality Mapping Delivery Workforce Capacity Mapping Resources We Provide Precision Tools: Through the Forum for Youth Investment and Our Technical Partners Selecting Results and Indicators Developing Report Cards Mapping Initiatives & Change Efforts

13. It is Marketable It Matters It is Malleable It is Measureable Research shows that improved youth outcomes requires program attendance and program quality. The core elements of program quality are both measurable and consistent across a broad range of program types. Decision-makers and providers will invest in improving quality if they believe that it matters, is measurable and is malleable given available resources. Most programs can improve quality by undertaking integrated assessment and improvement efforts. The Quality of these Supports Counts

14. Weikart Center-Who We Serve Youth: Increasing Quality Supports and Opportunities Youth Workers: T&TA on Program Quality Assessment and Improvement Program Managers: T&TA on Org/Program Development System Leaders : Consulting on QIS Plan Improve Assess

15. National Scope Estimated FY09 55,000 Youth 5,500 Staff 1100 Sites 25 Systems PROGRAMS POS INSTRUCTION PROGRAMS POS INSTRUCTION ORGANIZATIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS POLICY States in green are full-state implementation states States in red have place-based implementation (select cities)

16. Quality Matters Why do only some programs make a difference? Controlling for participation, young people who participate in high quality programs achieve greater gains than those who do not. o In their 2007 meta-analysis, Durlak and Weissberg grouped 73 programs into 2 clusters. Programs with “SAFE” features showed positive effects on almost every outcome – school performance, social behavior, attitudes and beliefs. Programs that did not have the SAFE features showed no effect on any outcome. o In the forthcoming YPQI Study, youth who participate in higher quality activities report higher levels of interest, challenge, belonging, and learning. 

17. Quality & Child Development Durlak & Weissberg (2007) Programs with SAFE features benefit youth in three areas  School PerformancePositive Effects Achievement Test Scoresx School Gradesx  Feelings & Attitudes Self-perceptionx School Bondingx  Pro-social Behavior Positive social behaviorx Antisocial behaviorx Drug usex Programs can improve outcomes by focusing on the quality of service delivery

18. YPQA Measures POS Quality (counts of staff practice in a program offering) Plan Make choices Reflect Partner with adults Lead and mentor Be in small groups Experience belonging Engagement Reframing conflictEncouragement Skill building Active engagement Session flow Welcoming atmosphere Supportive Environment Interaction Safe Environment Healthy food and drinks Program space and furnitureEmergency procedures Psychological and emotional safety Physically safe environment Plan Improve Assess

19. YPQA Domain Scores N= 735 offerings (all unique staff) in 180 organizations

20. ASSESS PLAN IMPROVE Carry out improvement plan (focused training/coaching for staff) Carry out improvement plan (focused training/coaching for staff) Create improvement plan (YPQI Team) Create improvement plan (YPQI Team) Conduct Self Assessment (YPQI Team) [Collect other data] Conduct External Assessement (External assessor) (repeat) Youth Program Quality Improvement (YPQI) Study The simple logic model

21. YPQI Logic Model Managers enact CI practices Staff engage CI practices Staff enact instruction Qual Assess (4-8 hrs online) Planning w/ Data (1-day live) Yth Work Mthds (1-day live) Instruct Coach (1-day live) On-site TA/coach (avg 4 hrs per site) Organization Setting Instruction Setting Outcomes of interest Youth engage instruction Policy Context Managers engage in training

22. Youth Program Quality Intervention Study Findings Managers enacted continuous improvement practices Staff engaged in continuous improvement practices Staff initiated new instructional practices Staff instructional quality increased Consistent impacts across networks! Plan Improve Assess

23. Learning from the YPQI Study Quality is malleable Quality can be influenced by the institutionalization of continuous improvement practices Quality can be influenced in a wide range of contexts (different locations, program types, demographics of staff and youth, etc.) Level of implementation matters

24. A big picture approach to Point of Service quality

25. Diversity of Sectors in 18 Quality Counts Locations Sectors Number of locations engaging these sectors Libraries/Museums3 Faith-Based14 Parks/Rec13 After School18 Education7 Funding Streams United Way Grantees18 21stCLCC Grantee4 Juvenile Justice/Child Welfare12 Prevention/ Health Department, DC, SAMSHA12

26. Learning from the Rb21 Quality Counts Pilot Sites (and others) Effectiveness: To maximize impact on professional skills, intensity (level of engagement) matters Scale: To achieve integration and ownership, build QIS into Big Picture Planning and mandates Sustainability: In places where Big Picture Planners are using data, stakeholders see potential for long term ownership

27. Intervention Intensity (Fidelity) Intervention Ownership (Time) Sustainable QIS Policy PHASE I: CONVENE & DESIGN PHASE II: FIELD PILOT & BUILD CAPACITY PHASE III: ADJUST DESIGN & GO TO SCALE Introduce: Quality Matters Common language Research base Metrics PQA Basics (Live) Intervene: PQA Basics (online) External Assessment Planning with Data Youth Work Methods Training of Trainers Customize: Adjust intervention Refine metrics Build technical infrastructure (i.e., scores report; online training) CHAMPION: Purpose & Design RECRUIT & CONVENE: Decision makers, program volunteers, intermediary org. PILOT METRICS: Collect self- and external assessment data FOCUS ON CAPACITY: Intermediary T&TA & Site mgmt skills ENGAGE DMs: Make decisions based on data CREATE POLICY: Adjust design, mandate metrics & T&TA planning GO TO SCALE: Role out new design to larger pool or sites Higher Impact, Lower Scale Higher Scale, Lower Impact Lower Impact, Lower Scale Higher Impact, Higher Scale

28. © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008 Quality Counts Initiative Strong policy/leadership horsepower Strong, stable program base Capacity to assess and improve programs Capacity to Recruit, Train, Retain Workforce

29. Capacity Building: Staff Training QYDS: Supports and Opportunities Interdepartmental Exposure to YPQA: Annesville Residential DJJOY New York State’s Ready by 21 QYDS: Connected to Touchstones Special Delinquency Prevention Program Request Coordination and support to Quality Counts Counties Governor’s Summit on Student Engagement and Drop-out Prevention Schulyer Center Report Youth Development Policy Statement Shared Rb21 Principles with Statewide Youth Development Team

30. Broome County-Ready by 21 Quality Counts! YB Partnered with Binghamton University to aid in administering the YPQA for YB Funded Programs Children and Youth Services Council of Broome County adopted logo and mission of Ready by 21 Brown Bag Series- Educational & Networking opportunity to youth workers on 5 domains of Ready by 21 YB Partnered with Binghamton University to map youth program landscape/training needs 2 individuals trained in Youth Worker Methods YB Partnered with Binghamton University to evaluate monitoring tool and new OYD requirements Accomplishments/Highlights: Forum for Youth Investment Conference hosted by CYSC- Sept. 2007 supported by UW Venture Grant Obtained grant from OCFS to continue Ready by 21 effort

31. Touchstones Life Area: Family Early Childho od (0-5) Elementar y Age (6-10) Middle School (11-13) High School (14-18) Young Adults (19-24) Adults (25+) Goal: Families will provide children with safe, stable and nurturing environments. Family Support (including outreach, mediation, Faith-Based) Relatives As Parents Support Parent Support (for new moms - now hit & miss, for parents throughout life span) Early Literacy Programs for Parents with Limited English Parenting Classes Parenting Classes Before Problems Start Child Rearing Training for Teen Parents Parenting Services for Parents with Children with Special Needs How to Advocate for Oneself through Systems

32. Orange County: Capacity to Assess and Improve Programs Utilized 18 Multi Disciplined Action Teams for ongoing planning –Children and Family Services Plan Development of Dashboards –Use of Touchstones Life Areas aligned with Office of Youth Developments QYDS Introduction of Youth Program Quality Improvement System –Aligned Untied Way and Youth Bureau Funding Professional Development Workshops –Trained 180 Youth Workers representing after school, residential facilities, homeless shelters, schools, recreation and alcohol/substance abuse providers Taking Youth Engagement to the next level –Student Interns and youth participants “tweaked” YPQA and did assessments

33. Onondaga County: Capacity to Recruit, Train, Retain Workforce In 1994 Onondaga County one of the first counties in the state to offer AYD training Prevention Partners for Youth Development –a local collaboration who’s membership was made up of youth bureau, school, mental health and prevention personnel created a youth development training for supervisors and administrators Members of the PPYD collaborative created a rubrics for the features of positive developmental settings –Youth Bureau decided to infuse this into their allocation and monitoring process Youth Bureau further incorporated assessments utilizing the YPQA – In our monitoring, as well as the self and external assessments being conducted, there are concrete areas we can identify areas to maintain at a quality level or as needing improvement Youth Work Methods training –helps to build youth worker skills using youth development principles and they correspond to the areas identified on the YPQA

34. www.readyby21.org www.forumfyi.org

35. Background Research America’s Promise (2008). A Report from America’s Promise Alliance: Every Child Every Promise. Washington, DC: America’s Promise. Corporate Voices for Working Families (2008). Strengthening America’s Economic Competitiveness: Public Policy Strategies to Improve Workforce Readiness. Washington, DC: Corporate Voices for Working Families. Gambone, M.A., Klem, A.M. & Connell, J.P. (2002). Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development. Philadelphia: Youth Development Strategies, Inc., and Institute for Research and Reform in Education. HighScope Educational Research Foundation (unknown). The Youth Program Quality Assessment: A research- validated instrument and comprehensive system for: Accountability, Evaluation, Program Improvement. Ypsilanti, MI: HighScope Educational Research Foundation. Larson, R.W., Hansen, D.M., & Moneta, G. (2006). Differing Profiles of Developmental Experiences Across Types of Organized Youth Activities. Developmental Psychology 42(5), 849-863. Lopez, S.J. (2009). Gallup Student Poll National Report. Omaha, NE: Gallup, Inc. © 2008 The Forum for Youth Investment. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the Forum for Youth Investment. 35