THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE:

THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE:Ensuring that Every Young Person is Ready for College, Work & Life

Thaddeus FerberThe Forum for Youth Investment

© The Forum for Youth Investment 2008

The American DREAM

All Youth are Ready for College, Work and Life.

Every Family and Community are Supportive.

Each Leader is Working in Collaboratively and Effectively.


The American REALITY

Too Few Youth are Ready.Only 4 in 10 are doing well.(source: Gambone, Connell & Klem, 2002)

Too Few Families and Communities are Supportive.Fewer than 2 in 5 youth have the supports that they need.

(source: America’s Promise Alliance National Promises Survey)

Too Few Leaders are Aligned.


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


“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

…but it takes a coordinated effort


Education Health & Food Social Services Child & FamilyServices

Mental Health & Probation

Mom Dad 9 year old 5 year old Mom’s sister

Boyfriend in trouble

Baby 1 1/2

• Medi-Cal – EPSDT• Healthy Families Parent

Expansion• Child Health & Disability

Program• Expanded Access Primary

Care• Trauma Case Funding• Co-payments for ER Services• Child Lead Poisoning

Prevention Program• HIV/AIDS Prevention &

Education• Breast Cancer Screening• Food Stamps• WIC

• TANF• GAIN, CAL Learn,

Cal WORKS, etc.

• School-Based MH Services for Medi-Cal Kids

• Probation Officers in Schools

• Cardenas-Schiff Legislation

• Health Care Through Probation

• Mental Health Evaluations

• Juvenile Halls

• Child Care – CCDBG, SSBG, Cal WORKS Child Care, etc.

• After-School Programs – 21st Century Learning Centers, etc.

• Promoting Safe & Stable Families

• Child Abuse & Neglect Programs

• Foster Care – Transition, Independent Living, Housing, etc.

• Adoption Assistance, Adoption Opportunities

• Public Schools• ESEA, Title I• School Lunch &

Breakfast• Head Start• IDEA• After-School Programs• Textbook Funding• Tests & Achievement• Teacher Issues• GED

Leadership Initiatives are Fragmented

Children’s Services in LA

County SOURCE:

Margaret Dunkle


Business as Usual

Disconnected change efforts within a community or network may actually dissipate the energy for change.

the more we focus (on narrow pieces)

the more we fragment (the responses)

the more we fail (our children & youth)


Ready by 21 helps leaders bring precision to their passion where there is motivation or a mandate to:

• Take Aim• Take Stock• Take Action

Bringing Precision to Passion


States & Localities

Advocate

Legislator

Governor

School Administrator

Mayor/ County Exec.

Business Executive

Local Foundation President

Intermediary Director

Working Together


Take Aim on the Big PictureHow are Young People Doing?

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10

Middle School11–14

High School15–18

Young Adults19–21+

Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Take Stock of the Big Picture

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Traditional Approach: Pick One Area

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNINGChildren Enter School Ready to Learn

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


But What Happened to the Rest of the Picture?

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNINGChildren Enter School Ready to Learn

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

Children Enter School Ready to Learn


Alternative:Learning to Focus Differently

Shifting Red to Yellow,

Yellow to Green

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING

Pre-K0–5

School-Age6–10


High School15–18


Ready for College

LEARNING

Ready for Work

WORKING

Ready for Life

THRIVING

CONNECTING

LEADING


Ready by 21 National Partnership

• Formal commitment in 2007; represent education, government, nonprofit, business and community philanthropy sectors.

• Combined, they have the capacity to inform, support and champion state and local leaders whose commitments are critical to any major change effort:

• United Way of America (signature partner)• American Association of School Administrators • America’s Promise Alliance • Corporate Voices for Working Families • National Collaboration for Youth • National Conference of State Legislatures • Search Institute• Center for Youth Program Quality


The Ready By 21 Challenge:Changing the Odds for YouthBy Changing the Way We Do Business


For More Information…

• [email protected]• http://www.facebook.com/people/Thaddeus_Ferber/215877• www.forumfyi.org• www.youthpolicyactioncenter.org• www.connectforkids.org

THE READY BY 21 CHALLENGE:

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