A Stronger Grad Nation

Originally published on July 3, 2013 in the Huffington Post. Co-authored by John Bridgeland and Mary Bruce

As another graduation season comes to a close, there is cause for celebration. The most recent graduation data show that for the first time the nation is on pace to reach a 90 percent high school graduation rate by the Class of 2020. This is a goal four U.S. presidents have set and three have missed, so far. While we have not achieved this milestone, this recent progress has put us on a course to do so and, as a result, future graduation seasons can be even better.

More impressive, the pace of progress in boosting high school graduation rates increased in the second half of the last decade, right at a time when graduating from high school was becoming more challenging. This is good news and cause for hope as Common Core State Standards start to take hold in America's classrooms.

But our challenges haven't disappeared. If anything, they've become more urgent, and if not addressed, will affect millions of young people, society, and our economy. Today in America,nearly one million school-aged children are not finishing high school with their peers. For African-American, Hispanic and limited English proficient students, as well as students with disabilities, the challenge is even greater, with many states graduating only 66 percent of students or less each year. In some states, the graduation gaps between students of different backgrounds can be as large as 50 percentage points.

With more than half of all new jobs in the next decade requiring some post-secondary education, getting a high school diploma is a minimal requirement for a successful and productive life. Yet, this summer, between 10 and 20 percent of American high school students planning on attending college won't make it to campus in the fall. Of those who do, one in three will require remedial courses and of those who enrolled in a four-year institution, only three in five will complete a degree within six years.

Commencement season is the perfect time to celebrate how far we've come, while still recognizing how much further we have to go. We know what to do, and we know where to focus. We have examples of schools, districts, and states that are making tremendous gains. Evidence-based solutions exist to keep students on track to graduate from high school with the academic and social and emotional skills to succeed in college, work, and civic life. Especially within the dropout factory schools, data systems are helping identify which students need which types of targeted interventions to get back on track to graduate -- so that these students get the supports they need, when they need them. We need more schools and districts to adopt this framework.

With a continued commitment to increasing high school graduation rates and preparing students for future success, we not only pave the way for future generations, but honor current graduates and the communities that supported them to success.

John Bridgeland, CEO of Civic Enterprises, and Mary Bruce, Senior Policy Advisor at Civic Enterprises are co-authors of the 2013 annual report "Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic" along with Robert Balfanz and Joanna Hornig Fox of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University School of Education.

EXTRA! EXTRA! National Service News Roundup

There's been a lot in the news lately about national service.  Here's a research, report, and news roundup.  Thanks to Diana Epstein of the AmeriCorps Alums National Advisory Council for putting it together.

Research and reports:

(1) CNCS study on volunteering and employment: http://www.cns.gov/impact-our-nation/research-and-reports/volunteering-pathway-employment-report

(2) Franklin Project Plan of Action: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/21st-century-national-service-system-plan-action

(3) Voters' perspectives on national service: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/voters-national-service-perspectives-american-voters-large-scale-national-service

News stories:

(4) Ben Duda and Mary Bruce in HuffPo on AmeriCorps Alums: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-duda/lets-leverage-our-nationa_b_3511258.html

(5) Rick Stengel in TIME - Service is a Silver Bullet: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2145991,00.html#ixzz2WqUd4exs

(6) Joe Klein in TIME - Can Service Save Us?: http://nation.time.com/2013/06/20/can-service-save-us/

(7) Michael Gerson in Washington Post - National Service Can Heal a Divided Nation: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/michael-gerson-national-service-can-heal-a-divided-nation/2013/06/24/e1bbc470-dce4-11e2-9218-bc2ac7cd44e2_story.html

(8) Bridgeland and Khazei in Politico- National Service is Key to National Strength: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/national-service-is-key-to-national-strength-93069.html#ixzz2WsTH98NT
(9) Arianna Huffington in HuffPo - National Service, the Ultimate Shovel-Ready Infrastructure Project:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/franklin-project-national-service_b_3492226.html

(10) More Franklin news pieces listed here: http://www.aspeninstitute.org/node/13623

Let's Leverage Our National Investment in AmeriCorps to Build Civic Leadership

Originally published on the Huffington Post on July 1, 2013. 

by Ben Duda and Mary Bruce

Since AmeriCorps was launched 20 years ago, nearly 1 million Americans have served, working to address our nation's most pressing challenges. They've tutored in our toughest schools, provided emergency relief services after tornadoes and hurricanes and helped veterans get connected to employment opportunities.

Many of these AmeriCorps members directly link their success today with their service experience. Kellie managed volunteers during a disaster and now works on a global crisis management team for a major retailer. Traymone was a wildlands firefighter while in AmeriCorps and uses those same teamwork and leadership skills in managing military veterans in service. And Katie tutored young people and is now working in corporate philanthropy, guiding a Silicon Valley technology firms' employee volunteering program.

These individuals were "made in AmeriCorps" and, each day, they continue to make America stronger.

Sadly, their experience is not universal. Many AmeriCorps alums are having a tough time finding a job. One alum served a successful term with a small town mayor, increasing resource allocations to communities in need. He's now working shifts at a pizza joint. Another, who managed teams of volunteers retrofitting homes to higher energy efficiency standards, has been searching for a job for more than six months.

These individuals were "made in AmeriCorps," too, but they're not making it. They have skills that employers say they want but can't find - in problem solving, teamwork and project management - and yet they can't find a job.

A McKinsey survey of 2,000 U.S. companies found that two-thirds report difficulty in filling job vacancies because applicants have unsuitable work habits or insufficient experience. AmeriCorps alums - who have demonstrated dedication, commitment and skills - could help fill this gap. Yet there is no system connecting national service alumni with employers most in need of new talent.

We at AmeriCorps Alums are working toward a solution by launching bold new partnerships and programs to strengthen the pipeline of leadership. We're making increased investments in professional development initiatives for alums, including adding a career coach to the national team.

We recently launched an "Employers of Service" campaign to celebrate public, private and nonprofit employers that actively support the recruitment, hiring and professional development of AmeriCorps Alums.

We announced a partnership this week with BoardSource to target and train women and people of color as prospective board members for local nonprofits.

We're also calling on the federal government to extend hiring preferences to all full-time national service members. And, to help Alums continue to develop their skills, we're calling on institutions of higher education to join the more than 100 colleges that already match the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award that all alums receive.

AmeriCorps Alums isn't in this alone. The Peace Corps recently launched Career Link, a job board that carries on the proud, 50-year tradition of connecting returned Peace Corps volunteers with post-service career and education opportunities. New Politics (founded by an AmeriCorps alum) is working to elevate national service alums to political office, and the Veteran's Campaign (founded by a veteran) is a similar initiative focused on veterans.

The nearly 1 million AmeriCorps alums nationwide are uniquely positioned to be the nation's 21st century civic leaders. They've demonstrated their commitment. They've cultivated their talents. They're hungry to lead. Now we must leverage our investment to pave the way for continued service to community and country.

Ben Duda is executive director of AmeriCorps Alums. He is a two-term AmeriCorps alum. Mary Bruce is chair of the AmeriCorps Alums National Advisory Council. She is an alum of both AmeriCorps and the Peace Corps.

This post is part of a collaboration between The Huffington Post and The Aspen Institute, in which a variety of thinkers, writers and experts will explore the most pressing issues of our time. For more posts from this partnership, click here. For more information on The Aspen Institute, click here.