The document discusses Junior Achievement's (JA) work with the Goizueta Foundation and Bridgespan to develop a strategy to improve high school graduation rates through JA programs. It notes that JA programs aim to promote youth development, education development, and economic development. The summary states that research indicates education development, particularly academic performance, is the most critical driver of high school graduation, and that JA programs have potential to impact many indicators linked to graduation through effects on attitudes, behaviors, and academics. It concludes that intervention during middle grades and school transition points is important.

1. Context for this work
• The Goizueta Foundation provided JA USA with funding to research
how JA could develop a strategy to improve HS graduation rates
• The goal of this work is to understand the evidence base around the
dropout crisis in order to identify opportunities to apply JA programs
as part of a collaborative solution to increase HS graduation rates
• JA USA has engaged Bridgespan to support this work through a six
month project from February to August 2011
• Bridgespan is conducting in-depth research in four pilot cities: Atlanta,
Cleveland, Los Angeles, and New York
• The end product will be a comprehensive, research-based framework
detailing an effective approach for JA to improve graduation rates
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 1

2. Junior Achievement’s business model and vision is
aligned with increasing HS graduation rates
“Three distinct areas in which JA specializes as a business”
Youth Education Economic
Development Development Development
Youth develop the Youth learn the knowledge Youth develop the 21st
cognitive, social, and and skills needed to century skills required to
emotional attitudes and achieve the level of get and keep a job,
behaviors needed to academic performance ultimately enabling them
grow into healthy, safe, required to graduate high to succeed in today’s
and educated members of school, ultimately enabling global economy and
their communities and success in college, career, become productive
society and life contributors to society
To inspire and prepare young succeed in a global economy
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 2

3. Among JA’s business areas, education development
is the most critical driver of HS graduation
• Research indicates that education development
(specifically, academic performance) is the most
Education important driver of high school graduation
Development
• Youth development, which is comprised of attitudes
and behaviors, are also important to graduation
Youth
• Furthermore, attitudes drive behaviors, and both
Development
can indirectly shape education development
• Economic development does not directly drive
graduation rates, but is important to equipping
Economic students with the skills necessary to graduate
Development prepared to succeed in the global economy
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 3

4. JA programs have potential to impact many of
the indicators closely linked to HS graduation
Education Economic
Youth Development
Development Development*
Drivers Academics Attitudes Behaviors 21st Cent. Skills
Indicators • Academic • Educational • School • Knowledge of 21st
closely achievement expectations engagement century themes
linked to • Attainment • Deviance (in- • Life and career
• Perception of
HS school) skills
• Mobility utility
graduation
• Intrinsic interest • Deviance (out- • Learning and
of-school) innovation skills
• Goals
• Course-taking • Information,
• Self-esteem
• Peer association media, and
• Locus of control technology skills
• Employment
• Perception of
support • Pregnancy and/or
parenting
• Extracurricular
participation
JA programs have potential to drive impact against these indicators
*Economic Development does not necessarily drive high school graduation but does equip students to be successful in the global economy
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 4

5. There is strong reason to believe JA’s impact on
attitudes can influence behaviors and academics
Education
Youth Youth
Development
Development Development
Academic
Attitudes Behaviors
Performance
“Negative forces such as indifference, feelings of incompetence, and other negative
attitudes…can have an impact on [behaviors such as] attendance.”
-National Dropout Prevention Center
“There is growing evidence that comprehensive, asset-based approaches to youth [attitudes
and behaviors] have tremendous potential to contribute to academic success.”
-Search Institute
“There are programs (e.g., Big Brothers, Big Sisters) that address non-school factors [such
as] mentorship, after-school learning, and social skills. While their relationship to success in
school may not be readily apparent, programs dedicated to these goals have been found to
have significant impacts on educational outcomes.”
-National Collaboration for Youth
A detailed logic model that describes the cause and effect relationship that links youth development attitudes and behaviors to academic performance is included in
the appendix
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 5

6. Research indicates that intervention during the
middle grades and at transition points is critical
Transition into Transition into
Middle grades
middle grades high school
• Transition associated with • Tends to have a polarizing effect; • Failure to transition to HS
a decline in academic over these years, gap between linked to decline in
achievement, motivation, highest- and lowest-performing academic performance
and self-perceptions students widens considerably and greater risk of
dropping out, especially
• Often a time when • Represents a catch-up opportunity for low-income and
adolescents are most before students fall severely minority students
likely to experiment with behind; students who fall off track
at-risk behaviors and in 6th grade typically remain in • More students fail ninth
begin to make pivotal school for ~5 more years grade than any other;
academic and career poor and minority
decisions • Environmental challenges emerge, students are twice as
including more competition among likely to be retained
peers, less personal environments,
more autonomy, and more
challenging/abstract school work
“The entry into junior high “As far as college-ready
may be the closest American graduation goes, it is a smart
“If you don’t start at middle school,
society comes to a formal rite bet to put money on the
you’re far behind the 8-ball.”
of passage” transition to ninth grade.”
(Granger Ward, President of AVID)
(Carol Dweck, Social (Keith Frome, President of
Psychologist) College Summit)
TBG JRA - Materials for SVP Meeting 6