January 27, 2005  

President George W. Bush

Executive Office of the White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500  

 Dear Mr. President:  

We commend you for your commitment to reform the nation’s secondary schools to ensure that every high school student graduates with proficiencies that will enable them to succeed.  

Enclosed with this cover letter is a set of recommendations endorsed by over 200 organizations concerned about the future of struggling students – those who are at risk of dropping out as well as those who already have. Those signed on represent youth serving organizations, policy makers, educators, advocates, and community and faith-based institutions. These organizations are either working directly with the millions of challenged youth or are addressing issues that impact on young people who have fallen outside of the education and labor market mainstream.  

As you said on January 12, “out of a hundred 9th graders in our public schools, only 68% will complete high school on time.” In some school districts and among some ethnic groups, the odds of graduating are even worse -- only fifty-fifty. We applaud you for elevating this unacceptable situation to national attention.  

Reconnecting these young people to opportunities to learn and develop the necessary skills for adult success is essential for their productive participation in our communities and in our economy. As you have so rightly noted in your attention to high school reform, we cannot afford to let any young person slip through the cracks. This is a high priority for all who have signed.  As a group we have come together to articulate a set of priorities and recommendations from the field that dovetails with your administration’s mission to make sure that every student graduates from high school, with the skills he or she needs to become a productive, responsible adult. We also make recommendations on how we can reach out and re-connect those who have fallen behind.   This effort is being coordinated by the Campaign for Youth. We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with the appropriate person from your Office to share our voices and the recommendations from the field. Linda Harris of the Center for Law and Social Policy (202-906-8015), who is a member of the Campaign for Youth steering committee, can be contacted to follow up on this request.   We stand willing to work with you, your administration, and the Congress to advance an agenda that will restore hope and promise to these youth.  

Sincerely,

Sally Prouty National Association of Service and Conservation Corps Co-chair, Campaign for Youth cc: Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy	Linda Harris Center for Law and Social Policy Steering Committee, Campaign for Youth