This Week's News: Youth in Transition

Education

Bleak College Graduation Rate Is Found
Washington Post
19 October 2006
Only 9 percent of D.C. public school freshman will complete college within five years of graduating from high school, a figure far below the national average, according to a report to be released today. The report asserts that nine out of 10 freshman will be confined to low-paying jobs because they never began college or gave up before obtaining a degree.

Bush Touts Education Program
Los Angeles Times
19 October 2006
President Bush on Wednesday renewed his efforts to win reauthorization of his signature education program when the new Congress begins work next year, and said he would not yield on one of its most controversial components: the requirement that standardized tests periodically measure students' progress.

Dropout crisis in city emerges from research
The Philadelphia Inquirer
19 October 2006
Only about half of the ninth graders in Philadelphia's public schools graduate in four years, and for some minority male students, the rate is even lower, according to a report being released today. Researchers say the social and finanical consequences are grave not only for the 30,000 young people who dropped out between 2000 and 2005, but also for the economic health of the region.

Juvenile Justice

Girl violence on the rise in schools
The State
16 October2006
Girls today, according to national crime statistics, are more violent than girls of two or three decades ago. Besides a rise in aggravated assault arrests, girls account for about a quarter of assualts by juveniles. About 75 percent of the time, the victims are other girls. Experts cite a mix of causes: Today's girls, unlike girls of three decades ago, are encouraged to be competitive and confrontational. Some experts say girls fight for some of the same reasons boys often do--to gain respect and to defend their reputations.

Foster Care

CASA's Role In Promoting The Education of Foster Children
The Post- Journal
20 October 2006
CASA: Advocates for Children of New York State has partnered with the Permanent Judicial Commission for Justice for Children to address educational issues for foster children. The lingering effects of abuse and neglect often lead to behavior problems such as aggression and withdrawal, which can further interfere with the child's ability to learn. Many children surveyed in a study also said that they limited their social interaction with peers to hide their foster status and avoid the social stigma.

Funds to help at-risk kids lagging
The Mercury News
18 October 2006
Volunteers await training to advocate for delinquents, children in foster care. There's nothing that can be done because of the lack of funding, which is unfortunate. It's unfortunate for anyone who wants to be an advocate, but the real need is for the kids.