1. Re-Engagement Center Overview
Reengagement Centers: Key Element in a City Strategy to Recover Dropouts
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
2:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Speakers:
Andrew Moore, National League of Cities
Kathy Hamilton, Boston Private Industry Council
Gail Forbes-Harris, Boston Public Schools
Justin Green, Philadelphia Youth Network
Ken Karamichael, Rutgers University/Newark YE2S Center
Greg Emmel, Omaha Directions Diploma (D2) Center
Carolyn Miller, Omaha Directions Diploma (D2) Center
Re-Engagement Center Overview

2. Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview
The School District of Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Project Overview 440 N. Broad Street, Suite Philadelphia, PA Hotline: (215) Fax: (215)
Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview

3. A True Cross-Systems Collaboration
Seed funding from the Project U-Turn collaborative (Philadelphia Youth Network & William Penn Foundation)
Commitment from district for space, personnel and operating funds
Commitment from city for staffing support
Regular engagement of all partners in design, implementation, and ongoing operation
Partner with community based organizations
Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview

4. Goals and Guiding Principles
Connect individuals 15 and older who are out of school or in school and struggling, to a high school diploma, GED, or academic skills program
Support a successful transition back to education by connecting students to social services and other resources as needed (e.g., childcare)
Serve students in an environment that empowers them to reach their goals of returning to school
Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview

5. Multiple Pathways to Graduation Philadelphia High School Diploma or Equivalency Programs for Youth and Adults
Accelerated
High Schools
Educational
Options Programs
Gateway to
College
Other Programs
Student enrollment varies
* Ages 15-21
*13.5 or fewer high
school credits prior
to enrolling
* Able to earn HS
diploma before
age 24
* Ages 17 and older
* More than 8 HS
credits prior to enrolling
* Enrollment every 3
months
* Must not be enrolled in
regular day school
* Ages 16-21
age 22
* Pass exam of 8th
grade literacy
and math ability
GED
* Ages 18 and older
SDP Credit Recovery
*Regularly enrolled HS students
Skill Building Programs
*Ages 16-21
* Computer based
* Teacher based
* Project based
* Earn up to 12
credits per year
* Classes held Oct-
June, three sessions
annually, Mon-Thurs,
3-6:30 p.m.
*Earn 6-10 cr./yr
* Dual enrollment
* Earn up to thirty
college credits
* Earn up to 9 cr./yr
towards diploma

6. Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview
Services and Results
Welcome & Intake
Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessments (ASEBA)
Meet with a Re-engagement Specialist
TABE testing
Referral to an appropriate program
Scheduled orientation dates
>9,000 since 2008
75% re-enroll within three months of initial contact
ETO database
Philadelphia Re-Engagement Center Overview

7. D2 Center, Omaha, Nebraska
Greg Emmel & Carolyn Miller,
Directors

8. Community Providers & Partners
Omaha Organization
Funding
Sherwood Foundation
City of Omaha
Mutual of Omaha Foundation
NE Crime Commission, Office of Violence Prevention
Program Coordination Sherwood Foundation, private foundation Building Bright Futures, local nonprofit
D2 Center Directors
Greg Emmel
Carolyn Miller
D2 Center Intake Specialists and Administrative Support
D2 Center Certified Teachers
for Elective Credit Courses
Community Providers & Partners
School Districts
Social Service Agencies
Mental / Behavioral Health
Post-Secondary Institutions
Juvenile Justice
Other BBF Programs
Youth Academic Navigators (YAN Program with agency partners)
Omaha D2 Center Overview

9. D2 Center Key Aspects
City partnership: City of Omaha Truancy Prevention Program partially funds Youth Academic Navigators assigned to each youth for frequent contact and support; YANs employed by community-based agencies
Elective credit courses: Taught by certified teachers; accelerated, flexible scheduling; small class size; literacy, numeracy, et al
Incoming referrals: chiefly from community-based organizations, Douglas County Probation, Omaha Public Schools (OPS), BBF Teen & Young Parent Program, D2 Center staff & YANs
Intake: Interview, online math & reading assessment (Wonderlic WBST), parent / guardian interview; followed by separate Action Plan meeting
Outgoing referrals: BBF Teen & Young Parent Program, GEDs (Goodwill Youth Partnership, Metro CC, OPS), Gateway to College (Metro CC), housing assistance, drug/alcohol counseling, career exploration, etc.
Data system: nFocus TraxSolutions
Omaha D2 Center Overview

10. D2 Center Early Experience, Results
applications (May Jan. 2012) 83
Total active students 61
Total Building Bright Total Futures Teen Parents 15
Total Douglas County Probation Students
16 (2 on adult probation)
Total enrollment in D2 Center courses* 18
Total D2 Center elective credits earned* 14
Total high school credits earned
In progress
Total High School Diplomas earned
Omaha D2 Center Overview
* through 1st semester

11. Omaha Multiple Pathways to Graduation (MPG) – in development
Process: Outline current options; identify youth needs; determine gaps; sketch increased MPG options
Cross-organizational: local school districts, post-secondary education, government, community agencies
D2 Center, Building Bright Futures, City of Omaha, and Sherwood Foundation planned and hosted MPG Summit Nov in partnership with NLC YEF Institute and JFF; panel included Mayor of Omaha Mayor, President of Metro Community College, and Commissioner of the Nebraska Department of Education
Showcase of existing MPG providers from 7 districts & 3 private institutions
Omaha D2 Center Overview

12. BOSTON RE-ENGAGEMENT CENTER
Gail Forbes Harris, Director - BPS Kathy Hamilton, Youth Transitions Coordinator – Boston PIC

13. How Boston approaches Dropout Outreach and Recovery
Reach out to dropouts via phone, letter, Connect-Ed
First visit: meet with youth, families
Several visits: Help youth re-enroll in school: transcript assessment, school choice, enrollment
Follow up bi-weekly to provide students with support to persist
Hire adult professionals who were former dropouts
Focus on building relationships, responsiveness
Physical location
Build relationships with other agencies
Offer some computer-based classes on site, esp. when difficult to re-enroll

15. Boston REC Outreach and Dropout Recovery, SY10-11
1,891: Out of School Youth
1,621: 16 and Older, Out of School Youth
270: Under 16, Out of School Youth
700+ Engaged in “15 minute” conversation at Center
545 Connected to a school or educational options (7/ /2011)
464 Re-enrolled in District, District Alt Ed, and CBO Alt Ed; 81 in GED & Adult Education
57 Graduated
Study cohort – those re-enrolling July-October 2010
284 Re-enrolled = 65% stick rate

16. Rate of first-year completion /“stick rate” for study cohort students re-enrolling

17. Youth Education and Employment Success (YE2S) Centers:
A Systems-Based approach to identify, implement, and support Positive Youth Development
Rutgers T.E.E.M. Gateway
“Building Productive Futures for the Youth of New Jersey”

18. Focus on a Shared Youth Vision
Starts in each city with agreement between Mayor, Superintendent re: importance of youth engagement
Partners provide additional supports, enrichment
Process:
Personal outreach to dropouts
Accessible location – easy initial intake
Instructors & CBO staff on site
Coordinated by Rutgers University
TEEM Gateway – Urban Youth Development arm of Rutgers Cooperative Extension

19. New Jersey YE2S Centers – Development Timeline
Newark – 2008
Downtown Newark Business District
Co-Located with NPS Hybrid HS / Community Partners
CISNJ / Boys and Girls Club / Hetrick-Martin Institute
Trenton – 2010
Downtown Trenton
Co-Located within the Daylight/Twilight High School
& Mercer County Community College
Camden – 2012
Two locations – Camden City Community /Recreation Centers

20. Eco Maps: Partner Mapping

21. RESULTS TO DATE / NEXT STEPS:
Newark YE2S Center has engaged 5,000 young adults, re-enrolled 3,500 since January 2008
Enhanced services with AmeriCorps members, mature workers, mentors, school district social workers
Next steps
Short term – moving from social to mobile media; communicating youth success stories
Longer term – expand research & assessment integration

22. NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families Re-Engagement Center Network
Four cities on call today plus:
Dayton, Ohio
Denver, Colorado Indianapolis, Indiana Portland, Oregon
Several more cities: Reengagement Centers in development
Informational phone calls + yearly meeting
Share information via Dropbox
Next call:
March 6, 2012; 2:30pm ET
for more information