The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF), long known for providing nonpartisan information to policymakers on youth and education issues, has just released a new report, Success at Every Step: How 23 Programs Support Youth on the Path to College and Beyond by Sarah Hooker and Betsy Brand. It describes programs that have been shown to help young people successfully complete high school and be prepared for success in postsecondary education and careers.

A number of MDRC studies figure prominently in the guide, including evaluations of high school reforms (Career Academies, First Things First, Talent Development, and Project GRAD), a program for at-risk youth (National Guard Youth ChalleNGe), and interventions at community colleges (learning communities and programs for students on probation because of academic difficulties).

AYPF identifies common programmatic and structural elements that may contribute to the programs’ effectiveness. The evaluations found a wide range of positive outcomes, which can be organized into the categories of secondary-level academic outcomes, planning for college and careers, postsecondary academic outcomes, career-related outcomes, and development of personal resources. The publication also sets forth a logic model that illustrates the complexity of the process of preparing youth to succeed in careers, lifelong learning, and civic engagement, as well as the various systems and service providers that support youth at each step of the developmental pipeline.

The publication is an easy-to-read guide designed to help national, state, and local policymakers and practitioners better understand how to support college- and career-readiness for all students.

For more information, visit the AYPF Web site.