November 3, 2017
READY NEWS
News & resources from the Forum and the field about collaborative work to get young people ready by 21.

The Growing Out-of-School Time Field: Past, Present, and Future
The out-of-school time (OST) field has grown considerably over the last two decades. An exciting new book series, "Current Issues in Out-of-School Time," will lay out the frameworks, practice- and research-based knowledge and tools, and burgeoning paths to advance the field across multiple dimensions: demographic, stakeholder groups, contexts, systems and sectors, and disciplines.

The first book, "The Growing Out - of - School Time Field: Past, Present, and Future," sets the foundation by offering an analysis of the progress made since the 2000s, as well as by looking toward the future for areas of considerations. Leading OST experts, including the Forum's CEO and President Karen Pittman, explore the latest knowledge, intentionally bridging research and practice, and propose new areas of inquiry.
 
Ready by 21 National Meeting rb21
Registration Now Open for the 2018 Ready by 21 National Meeting
Registration is now open for the Ready by 21 National Meeting in Palm Beach County, Florida, on April 18-20, 2018. Register from now through Feb. 2 to lock in the early bird rate.

Now in its seventh year, the National Meeting brings together more than 500 local, state and national leaders who, like you, are committed to improving partnerships, policies and practices for children and youth. These leaders manage change at all levels - from state policy coordination and community-wide cradle-to-career efforts to out-of-school time systems, single-issue coalitions and neighborhood-based initiatives.

We hope to see you in Florida.

Thought Leader Conversation TLRtbl
Why Are All the Black (and Latino and White) Kids Still Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? A Frank Discussion of the Intersection of Social and Emotional Learning and Identity Development
A Thought Leader Conversation with Karen Pittman and Beverly Daniel Tatum
Tuesday, November 21
1:00-2:00 PM EST

A special invitation from Karen Pittman:
 
Almost 50 years ago, I remember entering the cafeteria as a freshman at Oberlin College, being faced with the question - should I sit at the black tables or mix in?  I opted to mix in, because that was what I was used to, having attended public magnet schools in D.C. Twenty years ago, Beverly Daniel Tatum published a groundbreaking analysis of this self-segregation phenomenon.  This analysis is more relevant than ever which is why Tatum has fully revised an updated Why are all the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?  And Other Conversations about Race. 

Join me in a frank discussion with Tatum about why straight talk about our racial identities is critical to enabling communication across racial and ethnic divides and why straight talk about identity development is an essential complement to the push for more attention to social and emotional skill building.


AYPF Policy Brief: Social and Emotional Learning and Traditionally Underserved Populations 
This brief by the American Youth Policy Forum includes a review of the current state of research and practice in social and emotional learning (SEL) for three traditionally underserved student groups: students with disabilities, English language learners, and justice-involved youth. The brief identifies patterns of social and emotional development, as well as existing programs that successfully align resources across systems to enhance this development. Lastly, it explores potential policy levers for using SEL to better prepare these populations of students for success in school and life.
Students at the Center sc
Students at the Center Challenge
Coalition for Community Schools, Communities In Schools and StriveTogether recently launched the Students at the Center Challenge. The initiative will award funding to communities that demonstrate the potential to move toward a student-centered learning system. This approach emphasizes the needs and interests of students over institutions, combining quality educational opportunities with health and wellness services, mentoring, college readiness activities and work-based learning experiences.

Through the Challenge, approximately 10 communities will be awarded planning grants of up to $150,000 each. These communities must commit to changing how they align and expand their work to help students, particularly children of color and low-income students.


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