"What Drives Learning: Young People's Perspectives on the Importance of Relationships, Belonging, and Agency" is the third publication in the How Learning Happens research series. Together with "All of Who I Am" (see ED606338) and "The State of Young People during COVID-19," (see ED606305), this report places…

When children and youth feel unsafe, adults need to act. The damaging effects that feeling unsafe and being exposed to violence have on young people and their ability to succeed are well-established. These scientific insights make clear the urgency with which the people of this country must intervene in schools and communities to change the…

Relationships are the foundation upon which all youth development rests. Young people grow, learn, and develop through relationships. Relationships socialize youth and subsequently encourage identity development. Relationships provide connection, a necessity for all humans. Supportive relationships promote positive academic, behavioral, and…

As of 2014, four percent of all 16- to 19-year-olds in the United States had left high school without graduating for a total of 690,000 youth. The current rate of youth leaving schools represents a decline from a high of approximately fourteen percent 40 years ago. The possible reasons for improvement include improved academic measurement and…

This brief is based on an econometric study conducted in 2016 by Thomas Malone and Dr. Jonathan Zaff. The nation's high school graduation rate has been rising over the past decade and is now at a historic high. As of 2014, however, four percent of all 16- to 19-year-olds in the United States--a total of 690,000 young people--had left high school…

The number of young people who leave school before graduation continues to be a problem in the United States, with approximately 485,000 young people leaving school each year. Not graduating translates to substantial individual and societal economic, civic, and social costs. Understanding the factors that lead young people to leave school can have…

Youth of color represent the fastest growing segment of the U.S. child population and make up the majority of the youth population in about half of the 100 largest U.S. cities. Fear, along with inequitable access to social supports, opportunities, and experiences essential for healthy development, place this group at increased risk for poor health…

Young people of color and young people growing up in low-income communities are at high risk for experiencing poor health. In part, this is because they have inequitable access to the supports, opportunities, and experiences that science affirms are essential for children's well-being. Wellness initiatives--holistic approaches to overall physical…

Students disengage from and leave high school without a diploma for many different reasons: academic struggles, personal and/or familial obligations, unsupportive school environments and imperceptible relevance of school to their lives and futures. The common thread that connects so many young people who leave before graduating is that the…

"Don-t Quit on Me" examines the role supportive relationships play in promoting on-time high school graduation and helping young people who don't graduate on time re-engage with education. It examines, from the perspective of young people themselves, the roles that relationships with adults and peers play in decisions about staying in,…

"Don-t Quit on Me" examines the role supportive relationships play in promoting on-time high school graduation and helping young people who don't graduate on time re-engage with education. It examines, from the perspective of young people themselves, the roles that relationships with adults and peers play in decisions about staying in,…

"Don't Call Them Dropouts" adds to the large and growing body of research about why some young people fail to complete high school on the traditional four-year timeline. While a high school diploma is only a starting line for adult success, it has become increasingly clear that it is crucial for taking the next steps in college and…

In 2004, the Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change emphasized the need for a comprehensive base of information on the effectiveness of community collaborations for youth--an accessible, evidence-rich resource that could guide local efforts to bring about meaningful change. Nearly 10 years later, this need remains largely unmet. In…

Good schools are essential, but not sufficient for the long-term academic, economic, and civic success of our nation's young people. Rather, an integrated set of supports is needed in families, in all facets of communities, and in schools. Research, community wisdom, and common sense tell us that families, schools, and the broader community need…

The East Durham Children's Initiative (EDCI), a partnership among local government, nonprofit, faith, and school organizations, is focusing on the community's most promising resource--its children--in order to restore the city to the thriving African-American middle-class community it was throughout much of the mid-20th century. Since 2008, EDCI…