Perhaps the most significant challenge facing our society today is the need to dramatically increase the number of Americans who graduate high school and go on to earn postsecondary credentials. This is an economic, social, and civic imperative ? and it cannot be achieved without real changes in the educational opportunities and supports we provide low-income and minority youth. If we don?t significantly improve high school preparation, college enrollment, and college completion rates among poor and minority students, our voting rates will continue to decline, family income will continue to stagnate, and we will continue to lead the world in incarceration rates.