Margins to the Mainstream Project

About this grant

The project was launched in 2002 to identify and highlight high-quality learning environments that are effective in getting young people onto a pathway to high school credentials and college-level studies.Third-year funding will support the development of strategies that will increase the organization’s capacity to address the educational needs of youth. Objectives include developing an analysis of current trends; designing a framework that will allow key policymakers, leading youth organizations and funders to clarify and prioritize strategies; and organizing local forums of practitioners and advocates to strengthen the strategic framework and begin systemic efforts to reduce the amount of time young people are out of school.During the past two years, accomplishments included developing a set of criteria to codify the blending of youth development approaches with contextual learning; identifying 55 programs or schools that meet the criteria; producing several papers on high school reform and high-quality learning environments; and presenting at forums such as the Aspen Institute Congressional Program.