INTRODUCTION TO THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE for

INTRODUCTION TO THE READY BY 21® CHALLENGE for United Ways in Quality Counts Sites Karen Pittman Michael Williamson Executive Director Forum for Youth Investment Vice President Field Leadership, United Way of America May 21, 2008

AGENDA • Forum for Youth Investment and United Way of America • • Partnership Overview UWA • Children and Youth Achieving their Potential • Expansion of early childhood work to include older youth • • Forum for Youth Investment • • • 10 -Year Goals Ready by 21 Challenge Quality Counts Initiative Overview Local United Ways and Quality Counts Sites Discussion - What are local United Ways key focal areas related to children and youth? • How are local United Ways currently involved in the Quality Counts initiative? • Additional Opportunities for Involvement • • Questions/Discussion © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Forum and UWA – Partnership Overview The Forum’s Ready by 21 Challenge fits hand in glove with United Way’s Community Impact Model: • Both are focused on assessing community needs, setting community-level goals, and implementing effective solutions for solving intractable problems. • Both are grounded in the belief that investments in children and youth need to be early and sustained – starting with infants, because children are born learning, and staying with children throughout their developmental years to ensure that all youth are ready for college, work and life. • Both understand the importance of data, partnerships, leadership and communications in creating lasting changes in policy, practice and public will. • Both provide community leaders with tools, not pat formulas. © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Partnership Overview Phase I: Partnership Development March 07 – Feb 08 • • • © Phase II: Exploratory Plan Development and Fundraising Phase III: Implementation Timing Contingent on Funding National Staff work group to • Technical develop the assistance, tools, relationship , technologies, and trainings Introduced R by available to all 21 at 2007 UWA LUWs. SLC Annual Meeting. • Support for the intentional Introduced introduction of partnership to the tools and funders in strategies October 2007. work into Awarded ready LUW JCPenney communities, funding in • Statewide February 2008. introduction of Announced the Ready by partnership at 21™ Ready by 21 Challenge in Launch in selected February 2008. states. The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the March 08 - Feb 09 Lay the ground for the 2009/2010 roll-out by: • working with a smaller number of United Ways that are already engaged in community impact level work to improve youth outcomes or have an interest/commitment to build on their early childhood work, • using the existing outreach and communication vehicles of the United Way system to move these ideas out more broadly, • seeking every potential funding opportunity to build the Ready by 21 Challenge Fund, including co-hosting a series of CEO Roundtables on Youth, and • seeking every opportunity to leverage the potential of this project by working with other Ready by 21 national partners and bringing in other funders and business partners to assist in developing the plan.

Partnership Details • Memorandum of Agreement – October 2007 • Agreed to work together to provide local United Ways with research-based frameworks, metrics, strategies and tools to ensure that children enter kindergarten ready to succeed and enter the second decade of life ready for success. • JC Penney Afterschool Fund Grant Award – February 2008 • Grant awarded to the Forum and UWA to: • convene national stakeholders and experts to identify strategic needs in youth development, • develop a vision for a potential national youth program, • pilot community-wide outcome visioning around youth development in two communities, • pursue additional funding to support the growth of a national youth effort. • Ready by 21 Challenge National Partners Announced – February 2008 • UWA is the Forum’s signature partner • Other national partners include Corporate Voices for Working Families, American Association of School Administrators, National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Collaboration for Youth, and the © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Brand Positioning Brand Promise Priority Impact Areas Results to Measure Strategic Foundation United Way. Advancing the Common Good Creating the opportunities for a good life for all by focusing on: Education Income Health Helping children & youth achieve their potential Promoting financial stability and independence Improving people’s health • Readiness to achieve in school • Increased income • Academic achievement • Increased savings • Productive & engaged youth • Assets gained and sustained Community & Volunteer Engagement 2 -1 -1 Public Policy • Maternal health and infant well-being • Basic health care coverage and prevention • Healthy youth and adults Community Investment Partnerships Donor Relationships Inclusion Resource Generation Standards of Excellence © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Promoting Student Success Born healthy (% of births at healthy weight) Nurturing and Financially. Stable Families Supportive Communit ies & Effective Policies Safe, Enriching Environments & Relationships Comprehensi ve Health Care Developing on track: Enter school ready to succeed (measure under development) Learning on track Language (measured by 4 th grade reading & Literacy scores) Social – Emotional Staying on track Intellectua (measured by public l Health high school graduation rates) & Physical Successfully connected to college, work, life (% of 18 – 24 year olds working or in school) (full or part time) © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

United Way’s National Focus on Helping Children and Youth Achieve Their Potential 1. Readiness to succeed in school Intended result: Children enter school developmentally on track in the areas of literacy and social, emotional and intellectual skills. Indicator: % of 3 to 5 -year-olds with 3 or 4 (of 4) school readiness skills* 2. Academic achievement Intended result: a): Elementary students are prepared to succeed in later grades. Indicator: a): % of 4 th graders are proficient in reading Intended result: b): Young people graduate from high school. Indicator: b): % of public high school students who graduate on time 3. Productive and engaged young adults Intended result: Young adults make a successful transition from high school to work life. © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless 18 - 24 year oldsand the Ready bynot working or in Indicator: % of otherwise noted. Ready by 21 who are 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the *The specific cognitive/literacy skills assessed are the ability to: 1) recognize letters 2) count to 20 or higher, 3) write their names, 4) read or pretend to read **1) Not working full or part-time 2) nor in school full or part-time 3) nor already have a degree beyond high school (AA, BA, etc. ) or completed 1+ years of college

Raise the Graduation Rate © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Ready by 21 and the Quality Counts Initiative

Take Aim on the Big Picture How are Young People Doing? Pre-K 0– 5 Ready for College WORKING High School 15– 18 Young Adults 19– 21+ LEARNING Ready for Work School- Middle Age School 6– 10 11– 14 THRIVING Ready for CONNECTIN Life G High school failure doesn’t occur in a vacuum LEADING © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

The Ready by 21 Challenge: Changing the Odds for Youth by Changing the Way We Do Business Change the odds for youth Change the landscape of communities Change the way we do business © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Too Few Young People Are Ready Researchers Gambone, Connell & Klem (2002) estimate that only 4 in 10 are doing well in their early 20 s. 22% are doing poorly in two life 43% are doing well in two life areas and not well in any • Productivity: High school diploma or less, are unemployed, on welfare • Health: Poor health, bad health habits, unsupportive relationships • Connectedness: Commit illegal activity once a month Doing Poorly 22% 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 In the Middle 35% Doing Well 43% © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

We Know What it Takes to Support Development • The National Research Council reports that teens need: • 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 © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Do these Supports Really Make a Difference? Even in Adolescence? ABSOLUTEL Y Gambone and colleagues show that youth with supportive relationships as they enter high school are 5 times more likely to leave high school “ready” than those with SOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: weak relationships… Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Do these Supports Make a Difference in Adulthood? … and those seniors who were “ready” at the end of high school were more than 4 times as likely to be doing well as young adults. SOURCE: Finding Out What Matters for Youth: Testing Key Links in a Community Action Framework for Youth Development © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

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… from 4 in 10 doing well to 7 in 10 doing well © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

One Third of 6 -17 Year Olds Lack the Supports They Need • According to the America’s Promise Alliance National Promises Survey, only 31% of 6 -17 year olds have at least 4 of the 5 promises. 21% have 1 or none. • The likelihood of having sufficient supports decreases with age: • 37% of 6 -11 year olds have at least 4 promises; 13% have 1 or none. 13 25% 45 • Only 30% % 12 -17 year olds have at least 4; 25% have 1 50 of % 30 or none. 37 % % % © 6 – 11 Years Old 12 – 17 Years Old The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

National Research Council Report Recommendations “Communities should provide an ample array of program opportunities… through local entities that can coordinate such work across the entire community. Communities should put in place some locally appropriate mechanism for monitoring the availability, accessibility and quality of programs…” - Community Programs to Promote Youth Development, 2002 © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Reach Counts 21. Age s ? . . 0 ? Civic Outco Social Emotional me Physical. Areas Vocation al Cogni tive ? Scho After ol Scho ol Morning. . . At its best, school only fills Night a portion of developmental Times of space Day © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Who is Responsible for the Rest? • Families • Peer Groups • Schools and Training Organizations • Higher Education • Youth-Serving Organizations ? • CBOs (Non-Profit Service Providers and Associations) • Businesses (Jobs, Internships and Apprenticeships) • Faith-Based Organizations • Libraries, Parks, and Recreation Departments © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Improving Program Availability Isn’t Enough • There is basic agreement that young people who participate fully in school and programs and their communities have better outcomes than those who do not. • Consequently there is increased interest in getting inside the black box -- mapping the program landscape what is available to whom, when, where, why, how, and how much it costs. Youth Participatio n Youth outcomes © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Quality Counts It Matters Research shows that improved youth outcomes requires program attendance and program quality. It is Measureable The core elements of program quality are both measurable and consistent across a broad range of program types. It is Malleable It is Marketable Most programs can improve quality by undertaking integrated assessment and improvement efforts. Decision-makers and providers will invest in improving quality if they believe that it matters, is measurable and is malleable given available resources. © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Defining Quality Point of Service Quality Plan Make choices Engagement Reflect Lead and mentor Be in small groups Partner with adults Experience belonging Interaction Encouragement Reframing conflict Supportive Skill building Session flow Environment Active engagement Welcoming atmosphere Psychological and emotional safety Program space and furniture Emergency procedures Safe Healthy food and drinks Physically safe environment Environment © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Program Quality Drops as the Expectations increase Scores Across Diverse Samples Program Offering Level I. Safe environment II. Supportive environment III. Interaction IV. Engagement Score range: 1= lowest Trained outside observers used Self assesse d Mixed School Age 21 st Elem 21 st MS N=140 N=12 N=15 N=26 4. 35 4. 10 4. 38 4. 39 3. 75 3. 14 3. 69 4. 16 3. 11 2. 97 2. 93 3. 73 2. 83 1. 70 2. 71 3. 37 5= highest © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Program Quality Improves with Training and Capacity Building Across settings, POS Quality decreases with movement up the pyramid from safety to engagement. The High/Scope research strongly suggests that best way to improve “POS Quality” is to: • Reduce staff turnover • Increase training, professional development and on- site support • Increase opportunities for young people to have input and share control © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

5+ States, 7 Localities STATES (w/ participating localities) • Iowa (Linn County, N. Central Iowa, Polk County/Des Moines) • Kentucky (Lexington, Louisville) • New York • • • (Broome, Onondaga, Orange & Rockland Counties) • Oklahoma (Norman, Tulsa) • Rhode Island • (Central Falls, Newport, Pawtucket) • • Washington (Honorary site) • • LOCALITIES Austin, TX Georgetown Divide (Black Oak Mine), CA Columbus (Bartholomew County), IN Grand Rapids, MI Indianapolis, IN Nashville, TN St. Louis, MO © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Representing a Range of Lead Intermediaries and Team Members… Lead Organizations • 2 Broad-based Coalitions • • 1 School District • • Georgetown Divide 3 Capacity Building Organizations • • Austin, Columbus Team Members • 15 Youth Serving Organizations • 13 Capacity Building Organizations • 10 Government • • • Oklahoma, Kentucky, Indianapolis 2 Government Agencies City Government: Grand Rapids • State Government: New York, Iowa • • • 1 Youth Serving Organization • • Nashville 7 Education • • • 3 State Government Agencies 6 Local Government Agencies 1 Mayor’s Office 5 K-12 2 Higher Education 4 United Ways 2 Recreation 2 Coalitions 2 Partnerships © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

…Supported by an Even Broader Range of Stakeholders • 33 Youth Serving Plus Many Others: • • Business • • • Organizations 25 Government Agencies 14 Local Funders 8 K-12 Education 7 Higher Education 7 Intermediaries 5 Coalition/Collaboration s • Recreation • Professional • • • Development Faith-Based Workforce Intermediary Prevention/Drug Treatment Museum Evaluation/Training Technical Assistance © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Ready by 21 Quality Counts Framework Strong Policy / Leadership Horsepower Capacity to Assess & Improve Programs Strong, Stable Program Base Capacity to Recruit, Train, Retain Workforce © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Building the Capacity to Sustain Change: The Four Quality Counts Work Areas Capacity to Buy in re definitions, quality standards, accountability requirements Assess & Widely adopted assessment and monitoring procedures Improve Adequate assessment and improvement training/TA capacity Programs Cross-system provider networks and communications Capacity to Recruit, Train, Accurate data on workforce (skills, supports, recruitment, retention) Retain Professional development opportunities/incentives Workforce Healthy program landscape (distribution & focus) Strong, Stable Cross-system program data base/info source Program Base Cross-system convening/coordination mechanisms Decision-maker engagement & coordinating structures Strong Policy / Aligned policies for quality accountability and improvement Leadership Horsepower Shared vision, strong demand, active family/youth involvement © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Using Quality Improvement as the Anchor Focusing on quality improvement can be a concrete place to start…. STEP 2 a STEP 1 Key $$ Holders Decide to build QI system Selfassessment s conducted STEP 2 b External assessment s conducted But there may be broader organizational and workforce needs and issues … The H/S Assessment Improvement Sequence STEP 4 STEP 3 Managers with Staff Plan for improveme nt Managers help Staff Carry out plan at the Point of Service STEP 5 Programs Measure change broader policy, leadership and public awareness issues … a broader base of programs that you need to document and there may be reasons not to lead with program assessment, engage… Program Self. A la carte Methods Assessment even though that’s where you want to end up. Workshops External Assessment Quality Matters presentation Planning TA Observationwith Data Quality Coaching Reflection © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

Ready by 21 Quality Counts Initiative Using the Big Picture Approach to Improve Quality & across Ages Outcomes Populations Reach across Systems & Settings Time Supports across Stakeholders & Strategies Change the way odds landscape we do business for youth of communities © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

From Core Principles to Common Language and Expectations Example Language © The Forum for Youth Investment 2008, unless otherwise noted. Ready by 21 and the Ready by 21 Logo are registered trademarks of the

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