At no other time in our nation's history has graduating from high school been a more important prerequisite for adult success. Young people who fall off the graduation path are more prone than ever before to experience chronic unemployment, poverty, ill health, dependence on social welfare, and a lifetime of struggle. The enormous costs to these individuals, their communities, and our society call on us to invest in systems that accurately identify young people at risk of dropping out of school and provide the supports necessary to keep them on track to graduation. This issue of New Directions for Youth Development offers perspectives and strategies for engaging American youth in learning, keeping them on the graduation path, and preparing them for success in college and career. The ideas, practices, and programs set out in this volume advance innovations in such areas as using data to identify and support at-risk youth; pedagogical approaches and technology that motivate youth to learn; organizing and resourcing schools, school systems, and partnerships to support every student; and galvanizing communities and our nation around creating responsive, aligned, and effective educational opportunities for all youth. This is the 127th volume of New Directions for Youth Development, the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series dedicated to bringing together everyone concerned with helping young people, including scholars, practitioners, and people from different disciplines and professions. The result is a unique resource presenting thoughtful, multi-faceted approaches to helping our youth develop into responsible, stable, well-rounded citizens.
