Research, Data & Publications
In today’s world, a high school degree or its equivalent is not enough to allow a young person to obtain a job with enough earnings to support themselves or their families. Post-secondary education is critical to getting ahead, yet it is not available to many of the youth and young adults in the DC area due to the lack of finances and support for navigating the complex world of financial aid and school application processes. New Futures is committed to making post-secondary education available to those youth who would otherwise not have the option by providing them with the financial assistance and mentoring required to transition to that next step of eduction and succeed in its completion.
To get a picture of the state of education in the District of Columbia, see the recent study Double the Numbers for College Success: A Call to Action for the District of Columbia. In this study, it was revealed that out of 100 students beginning the 9th grade in the District of Columbia Public Schools and Charter Schools, 43 will graduate within 5 years, 29 will enroll in post-secondary education within 18 months of graduating, and 9 will complete post-secondary education within 5 years of enrollment.
New Futures wants to:
- help those students who did not graduate from high school but have since obtained GED certification to still have an opportunity to pursue post-secondary education
- help more of the high school graduates be able to enroll in post-secondary education
- provide mentoring and financial support to ensure that those who begin post-secondary education complete their programs and achieve their goals.
New Futures also believes that there are many paths to success, and encourages students to explore the options that are most likely to work with their individual situations. This includes consideration of vocational schools and certificate programs, many of which can prepare a student for well-paying, in-demand jobs in less than one year. Other options include a multi-step approach, where a student trains for an entry level position in a field, and while working in that field at a decent wage, continues with schooling to obtain the next level(s) of certification. Examples would include a Nursing Assistant to a Licensed Practical Nurse to a Registered Nurse.
For other students, a vocationally-oriented Associate’s Degree is a great option, and for others, especially those not required to work and care for a family while also going to school, a bachelor’s degree may be the right goal.
New Futures works closely with its community partners and its scholars to develop the best plan for each student and then to help the student achieve that goal.
For more information about post-secondary education-related issues and challenges for low-income youth in the DC area, see the following studies and articles.
Brookings Report – Reducing Poverty in DC (PDF)
Why Washington Needs a Community College (Brookings Institute)
UDC Responding to the Retention Challenge (PDF)
UDC’s Latest Update on Planned Changes for Fall 2009
Post-secondary Pathways for High School Dropouts (PDF)
