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

bbartle@papartnerships.org

717-236-5680

www.operationrestart.org