Careful implementation of Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs is necessary in order for programs to achieve the policy goal of college and career readiness, which involves expanding student opportunities for career-relevant learning without limiting their academic preparation for postsecondary degrees. As programs become more widespread,…

Facility design and the planning steps within this process are part of continued discourse among school design professionals and school officials. Historically, schools often mirrored architectural designs of a time-period or as a response to economic trends. The discourse has evolved over time, and recently, there has been an increasing focus on…

This dissertation examined the form and function of the partnership between the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) and its neighboring public high school, University City High School (UCHS), throughout fiscal year 2012, as well as key stakeholders' perceptions of the partnership during that time period. Penn's status as an internationally renowned,…

This paper explores the concept of what a community-based participatory dropout prevention planning process might entail. Specifically, it looks at a year-long research project that brought together formerly incarcerated school non-completers, researchers, and local policy-makers (stakeholders) to address low high-school completion rates in the…

This mixed methods triangulation approach examined the perceptions of administrators, teachers, parents, and community residents about a consideration of a secondary school consolidation in a school district in central Pennsylvania. These groups are referred to as "stakeholders" in this study. The purpose of this research was to develop…

This executive position paper proposes recommendations for designing reform models between public and private sectors dedicated to improving school reform work in low performing urban high schools. It reviews scholarly research about for-profit educational management organizations, high reliability organizations, American high school reform, and…

What does it take to deliver WorkReady Philadelphia's high-quality career-connected programming? In short, it's all about the "elements"--those essential components of the system that combine to produce success for young people. This 2011-12 WorkReady report reinforces this theme by using visual aspects of the "Periodic Table of…

This paper presents the annual report of Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) for 2009-2010. This annual report documents the journeys of several participants in their programs who have gone on successfully to college and careers, and demonstrates the potential of young Philadelphians to begin to reach their goals. In telling these stories, they build…

This research was conducted using a multi-case study analysis of four school districts in Western Pennsylvania. All four of the school districts were placed under the guidelines of the Educational Empowerment Act (Act 16) due to a history of low tests scores and poor student achievement. These school districts were also place on the State's…

This paper presents the annual report of the Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) for 2005. Throughout the year, PYN's members continued their focus on linking work and education in ways that promote access for young people to Philadelphia's growth economy, and supply a high-quality workforce to power the City's continued economic development. [For…

This paper presents the annual report of Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) for 2004. To underscore and celebrate the convergence of so many key elements, this year's annual report is structured as a series of lists, describing many of the essential components of PYN's work, and representing the combined efforts of many dedicated individuals and…