YouthBuild USA
"Rebuilding our Communities and our Lives"
Mission
The mission of YouthBuild USA is to unleash the intelligence and positive energy of low-income youth to rebuild their communities and their lives.
Profile
National Schools Initiative (NSI) is a smaller subset of the overall mission focusing on whole school improvement efforts aimed at increasing the number of YouthBuild students graduating with a meaningful high school diploma and ready for success in post secondary education, careers, and life.
Results
We measure the success of NSI goals and objectives through Interim and Annual narrative and data reporting periods yearly. Although we collect a series of data points, the main student achievement outcomes that we use as indicators of school/grantee achievements are (1) increases in number of students graduating with a High School Diploma and (2) increases in number of students accepted, enrolled, and succeeding in postsecondary education.
The other measures of success at the school level are related to practices of curriculum alignment with college and career entry requirements, relevant and engaging teaching practices, interdisciplinary project based learning, and incorporation of college readiness activities throughout the school year.
Major achievements include: all NSI schools have established partnerships with local post secondary education institutions for college transition supports, dual credit/dual enrolment opportunities and sharing of other resources; five NSI schools are participating in a three-year national pilot funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation aimed at significantly increasing the numbers of low-income students who earn a post secondary credential; NSI schools show a statistically significantly higher diploma and GED attainment for court involved youth as compared to the rest of the YouthBuild field of programs.
