Organization Name: MDRC
Address: 16 E. 34th Street, New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 532-3200
or 1-800-221-3165
Fax: (212) 684-0832
Website: www.mdrc.org
Contact: Rob Ivry
Phone: (212) 340-8672 or 1-800-221-3165
E-mail: robert.ivry@mdrc.org
Contact: James Kemple
Phone: (212) 340-8676 or 1-800-221-3165
E-mail: james.kemple@mdrc.org
Size (# staff, # sites): New York Office: 4 staff who can provide services of interest to Career Academies (as discussed below). MDRC' Career Academies study is operating in 9 sites across the country.
Mission/goal: MDRC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan social policy research organization. We are dedicated to learning what works to improve the well-being of low-income people. Through research and the active communication of our findings, MDRC seeks to enhance the effectiveness of public policies and programs.
Overview of services of interest to Career Academies:
- Briefings on the emerging findings of a national, 13-year longitudinal study of the Career Academy approach. The study, which will be completed in 2006, will include findings on the implementation of Career Academies and the effects of the Academy approach on students' school engagement, attendance, academic performance, high school graduation and postsecondary activities, including college and employment. The study is also distinguished by the length of the sample follow-up period, up to 8 years after scheduled graduation from high school.
- Briefings on the findings from a study of the course-taking practices of Academy students and their relation to entrance requirements for state universities and community colleges.
- Technical assistance based on the impact and implementation findings from the studies.
Regularly sponsored conferences/ institutes/ workshops (for whom, what, where, when, cost):
MDRC staff regularly participate as presenters or panelists in Academy-related discussion forums for policy and practitioner audiences. These forums are sponsored by organizations such as the National Academy Foundation, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the Council of Great City Schools, the Career Academy Support Network, the California Partnership Academies, the National Career Academy Coalition and Philadelphia Academies, Inc. If Academies would be interested in attending a presentation by MDRC staff on the findings from the national Career Academy Study and the Career Academies Adaptation Study, we could post the dates and venues for presentations (on our website) as they are scheduled. MDRC generally sponsors its own technical assistance conferences or workshops only for organizations that are participating (as sites) in one of its research demonstrations.
Available on-site services (for whom, what where, cost):
Not applicable.
Documents/ materials (for whom, what, cost):
MDRC's national study of the Career Academy approach began in 1993 and will continue through 2006. To date, six reports have been published. All six are available on MDRC's Website ( www.mdrc.org ). Hard copies of the reports can be ordered through MDRC's website or by phoning, faxing, or emailing Liz Cosarca in MDRC's publication department (phone 212-340-8625; fax 212-532-8453; email publications@mdrc.org). Single, printed copies of MDRC reports are available at no charge
The most recent Career Academies report was released in March of 2004. This report examines the impact that Career Academies have had on the educational attainment and postsecondary labor market experiences of young people through the four years following their scheduled graduation from high school. It is based on survey data collected from 1,458 young people in the Career Academies Evaluation study sample (about 85 percent of whom are either Hispanic or African-American).
In the fall of 2001, MDRC published two additional resources of interest to Career Academies that are being developed through the Career Academies Adaptation Study: a paper on findings from a study of course-taking patterns in Career Academies in five sites and a guide to resources for Academies. The paper, was prepared by a consultant to MDRC, discussed the courses taken by Academy students in relation to graduation requirements at their high schools and entrance requirements for their state universities and local community colleges. It is also available on MDRC's website. The guide to resources was prepared by CASN and is available in electronic form through MDRC's and CASN's websites.
For more information:
Contact Rob Ivry or James Kemple, principal researcher for the Career Academies study, at 1-800-221-3165, or the numbers listed above.
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