Gateway to College: Lessons from Implementing a Rigorous Academic Program for At-Risk Young People

Despite efforts to improve the high school graduation rate in the United States, an estimated 7,200 students drop out of high school every day -- a staggering 1.3 million every year. Further, a recent report by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University projects that by 2020, nearly 65 percent of U.S. jobs will require at least some college education, out of reach for those who are unable to earn a high school diploma. Much more comprehensive alternative education programs are needed that put dropouts and students at risk of dropping out on a path to earn high school diplomas while also providing them with the academic skills and support necessary to be successful in their postsecondary pursuits

Mobilizing Volunteer Tutors to Improve Student Literacy

This report evaluates the implementation, impacts, and costs of Reading Partners, a school-based early-intervention literacy program that relies on volunteer tutors. The work is a partnership between MDRC and CBCSE. The findings illustrate that the program is an efficient option for schools to consider in providing supplemental reading services to students who are not reading at grade-level