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What Ninth Grade Students in CPS Do in Their Free Time
This paper is authored by Robert M George and Robert J Chaskin from the Chape...
From Jared
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Students at Job Corps Centerlearn methods to cut and installsiding.Photo by: Michael Carpenter
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Overview
Studies reveal strong correlations among poverty, lack of a high school diploma, joblessness, youth violence, and crime. DOL administers youth programs underthe Workforce Investment Act, including the Job Corps program, the youthformula grant program, the Youth Opportunity Grant Program, as well as therecently sunset School-to-Work initiative, and research and demonstration projectsthat address the persistent unemployment challenges of at-risk youth both in andout-of-school.
Serving the Public
DOL’s youth programs primarily serve those youth who are out-of-school, andthose who are in school but at risk of dropping out of school. They are intendedto provide the necessary support for in-school youth to complete secondaryschool, move into post-secondary education, and transition into successfulcareers. In addition, these programs provide education, training, and supportservices, to the hardest to serve out-of-school youth providing them with theskills necessary to enter and succeed in today’s workforce.Statistics support the notion that education and training programs are moreeffective when they are delivered with extensive support services. DOL hasfound that the following 10 elements are key ingredients of effective youthprograms: (1) tutoring and study skills training; (2) alternative secondary schoolservices; (3) summer employment opportunities linked to academic andoccupational learning; (4) paid and unpaid work experiences; (5) occupationalskills training; (6) leadership development; (7) supportive services; (8) adultmentoring; (9) comprehensive guidance and counseling; and (10) long-termfollow-up. The Workforce Investment Act substantially reformed the formula-funded youth program to require this comprehensive range of services to meetthe employment, career, and educational goals of youth.
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In addition to the formula-funded program, the Job Corps administers services ina concentrated manner. Job Corps provides intensive, long-term training in aresidential setting and offers a wide range of supportive services, including asecure, drug-free learning environment, medical care, and career and personalcounseling. The Job Corps has also placed increased emphasis on education—especially the attainment of a high school diploma whichhas been shown in many studies to increase an individual’semployment and earnings potential. During DOL’s recentSummit on the 21st Century Workforce, the Departments ofEducation and Labor announced a new joint proposal toinclude establishing a Job Corps distance-learning programthrough a National High School and forming partnershipsbetween Job Corps centers and public schools.
Program Costs
The decrease in net costs in FY 2000 may be substantiallyattributed to the transition from the Job Training Partnership Act program to thatunder the Workforce Investment Act. The subsequent increase in costs in FY 2001reflects: (1) the increased spending by the States on program operations as thetraining tempo increased following the start-up activities in FY 2000, and (2) thestart-up of a new youth opportunity grant program funded at $300 million.
DOL Challenges for the Future
According to 2000 Census data, 16.2 percent of children under 18 years old (overfive million children) are living in poverty. According to the Bureau of LaborStatistics, the unemployment rate of 16-24 year olds has increased from 9.1 percentin June 2000 to 10.4 percent through June 2001. Over the next four years theCensus Bureau estimates that the number of 15-24 year olds will increase by overtwo million. In order to meet the challenge of serving these young people most inneed, DOL will focus its efforts to improve the delivery of youth services under itsWorkforce Investment Act, Job Corps, and Youth Opportunity Grants programs.The Department of Labor enters the 21st Century facing many new andcontinuing challenges. Preparing all youth for future careers in a rapidlychanging, technologically driven economy presents special challenges. Byfocusing on a holistic youth development approach to serving young people, DOLyouth programs will equip youth with the skills necessary to succeed in the 21stCentury workforce.
B i l l i o n s o f D o l l a r s
1999 2000 2001Fiscal Year2.12.22.32.42.52.62.72.8
Outcome Goal 1.2Net Costs ($B)
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Of the 14-18 year-old youth registeredunder the WIA youth program, 50percent will be either employed, inadvanced training, post-secondaryeducation, military service orapprenticeships in the third quarterafter program exit.Results:
This goal was substantiallyachieved, with 47.4 percent of youtheither employed, in advanced training,post-secondary education, militaryservice or apprenticeships in the thirdquarter after program exit.
Program Description:
Title I of theWorkforce Investment Act (WIA)serves eligible low-income youthbetween the ages of 14–21 who havebarriers to employment, includingthose who have deficiencies in basicskills or meet one or more of thesecriteria: homeless, a runaway,pregnant, parenting, an offender,school dropout, or a foster child. Theprogram also serves youth withdisabilities and others who mayrequire additional assistance tocomplete an educational program or tosecure and hold employment.Programs and services are offered toboth in and out-of-school youth, withat least 30 percent of the funds beingspent on out-of-school youth. Servicestrategies prepare youth for post-secondary education by stressingstrong linkages between academic andoccupational learning, and preparingyouth for employment. Localcommunities create opportunities foryouth by providing required programelements, including: tutoring,alternative schools, summeremployment, occupational training,work experience, supportive services,leadership development, mentoring,counseling, and follow-up services.
Analysis of Results:
Two factors havehad an impact on the Department’sfully achieving this goal:
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Results for this goal were computedusing preliminary data. Only 42 of the 53 States and jurisdictions havereported final data, and 7 of theStates submitted data that arequestionable. For the most part,reporting problems can beattributed to introducing a newperformance data reporting systemwith the implementation of theWorkforce Investment Act this year.The Department is now workingwith States experiencing problemsto obtain accurate data. When theStates report final data in January2002, results should better reflectactual performance.
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Results include three quarters of participant data from the prior JobTraining Partnership Act (JTPA)Title II-C youth program. Data usedto compute this measure are basedon youth who terminated duringthe final three quarters of the JTPAprogram, with only one quarter of data from the WIA program. Sincethe JTPA program placed much lessemphasis on follow-up andmeasuring longer-term outcomes,lower retention levels in this firstyear of the program most likelystem from the JTPA data.
Strategies:
The Workforce InvestmentAct, fully effective in Program Year2000, introduced substantial reformsfor youth programs, placing a strongeremphasis on more comprehensive,long-term activities coupled with atleast twelve months of follow-up afterprogram completion. During thisinitial period of programimplementation, DOL mounted effortsto establish Youth Councils as a newgovernance body and advocate for
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| Upload Date: | 01/26/2008 |
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