Workforce strategies to improve high school graduation rates
Workforce strategies designed for young people can teach job-relevant skills, build youth confidence, and provide valuable exposure to professional environments.
Individuals with a high school diploma (or its equivalent) are more likely to complete post-secondary education or training, obtain high-quality employment, and create stable household environments for their children.
How does high school graduation affect economic mobility?
- Graduating from high school decreases the likelihood of living in poverty. 1
- Individuals who do not graduate from high school are significantly more likely to live in poverty, suffer from unemployment, experience poor health outcomes, and be incarcerated than individuals with a high school diploma.
- Individuals with a high school diploma earn more than individuals without a high school diploma. 2 3
Individuals with a high school degree but no post-secondary education earn approximately $8,000 more per year than individuals without a high school diploma, adding up to $260,000 more in lifetime earnings.
Individuals who receive a GED tend to earn less than individuals with a high school diploma but more than individuals without a high school diploma or GED.
- A high school diploma is correlated with higher levels of well-being. 4
Individuals without a high school diploma are more likely to suffer from chronic disease, have unplanned pregnancies, and abuse alcohol or other substances compared to individuals who have graduated from high school.
- High school graduates are less likely to be incarcerated than individuals without a high school diploma. 5 6
Individuals without a high school diploma make up more than 80 percent of the incarcerated population of the United States. The average cost of incarceration is over $33,000 per inmate per year.
Categories of successful interventions
- Career and technical education: School-based programs that teach high school students job-ready skills for specific occupations. Some programs offer courses in a deliberate skill-building sequence, and many include work-based experiences, social supports, and job placement assistance
- Dual enrollment/early college programs: Programs that allow students to enroll in college-level courses and earn college credits while still in high school
- Summer jobs: Short-term, paid employment for teenagers and young adults. Generally funded by local governments and executed through partnerships with community-based organizations and local businesses
Evidence-based interventions
| Intervention | Type | Category | Evidence Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Summer Youth Employment Program | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |
| Career Academies | Program |
|
Proven (highest tier) |
| Chicago One Summer | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |
| NYC Summer Youth Employment Program | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |
| Rapid Employment and Development Initiative (READI) | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |
| Roca | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |
| Urban Alliance | Program |
|
Strong (second-highest tier) |
| Youth Villages Lifeset | Program |
|
Promising (Third-highest tier) |