New York City has made strong progress in improving education outcomes for students, particularly the outcomes of high school graduation and college enrollment. Yet, NYC still sees drastic disparities for young people in the areas of college completion and employment across lines of race, ethnicity, and household income. These inequities have sharpened during recent periods of overall economic growth, highlighting how increasing inequality, gentrification, and community segregation remain persistent challenges to inclusivity and shared prosperity.
This report discusses how an expansion and enhancement of work-based learning can combat these concerning trends. At HERE to HERE, we strongly believe that opportunities for young people must go beyond traditional academics. With support, our schools must provide and broker experiences that offer all students the foundation they need to build a fulfilling life beyond high school. Based on our belief that expanded, enhanced work-based learning offers the greatest potential to mitigate the opportunity gaps our students face, we recommend NYC invest significantly in its schools and the growth of their work-based learning programs.
Download One-Step-Closer_H2H-Winter-2020_Online.pdf