P A Positive June 2017 No.2 OAH BRIEF Adolescent F Futures Study The New Heights Evaluation: Implementing an Effective School-based Program for Expectant and Parenting Teens In 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health (OAH), launched the Pregnancy Assistance Fund (PAF) to The New Heights evaluation address the needs of teen parents. With a 2010 PAF grant, DC Public Schools The New Heights evaluation has two com- ponents: (1) documenting the implemen- (DCPS) central office staff refined and expanded a program called New tation of the program and (2) assessing Heights that previously existed in just two high schools, making it available its impact on academic outcomes. This as of the 2011–2012 school year in all of the district’s large comprehensive brief, a brief on program impacts, and the high schools. OAH conducted an evaluation of New Heights, seeking to full report, Raising the Bar: Impacts and Implementation of the New Heights Pro- better understand the program’s goals and structure and the ways in which gram for Expectant and Parenting Teens New Heights supports expectant and parenting students in addressing the in Washington, DC, are part of a series of challenges they face when they have not yet completed high school. products from the evaluation. New Heights: A structured yet flexible approach to support parenting students New Heights is a voluntary, school-based program of supports New Heights Core Components designed to help expectant and parenting students in DCPS navigate the challenges of pregnancy, parenthood, and com- Advocacy. Educate school staff and pleting high school. New Heights aims to increase school en- empower expectant and parenting gagement and credit accumulation while building teen parents’ youth to ensure they attend and self-sufficiency and resilience. The program is designed to help complete school. teen parents progress toward high school graduation and plan long-term education and employment. Case management. One-on-one targeted and tailored support to help In each participating school, New Heights places a dedicated youth meet their academic goals. program staff member, called a “coordinator”. New Heights coordinators are a diverse group of trained staff who work both independently within their school and collaboratively across Educational workshops. Held at least three times a week, lunchtime work- schools to help their students overcome the obstacles that shops provide supplemental educa- pregnancy and parenting place in the way of completing high tion on relevant topics. school. Coordinators are responsible for integrating the four main components of New Heights into the regular school day: Baby bonus bucks. A system of (1) advocacy, (2) targeted school-based case management, in-kind incentives that students earn (3) weekly educational workshops, and (4) incentives. Taken to- when they attain personal goals and gether, these components aim to help expectant and parenting use for purchasing items such as students identify their strengths so they can overcome barriers, maternity and baby supplies. become self-sufficient, and achieve educational success. Office of Adolescent Health | Website: http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/ Email: oah.gov@hhs.gov Phone: (240) 453-2846 New Heights: Keys to success OAH’s evaluation of New Heights found that the program had a positive impact on academic outcomes for parenting females, as described in a brief on program impacts. Discussions with New Heights staff, participants, partners, and district leaders gathered insights into how the program might have achieved these outcomes. Coordinators with diverse skillsets form the backbone of the program. Coordinators are collaborative, experienced, and possess a can-do spirit. Each coordinator is also a good fit for their school. To identify and hire the right mix of coordinators, New Heights leadership worked collaboratively with each school. Then the program pro- vided the tools, self-care opportunities, and training that are essential for meeting the requirements of its students. Highly dedicated coordinators do what it takes. Coordinators tailored their case management to fit individual students’ requirements. They developed achievable academic and personal goals; connected students to community-based resources to resolve housing, transportation, childcare, medical, employment, or other issues; worked with teachers to monitor academic performance; and developed program workshops and incentives for students to meet their goals. Through all aspects of their work, coordinators continuously emphasized that students must learn how to advocate for themselves. Coordinators foster collaboration within schools. To get buy-in for the program, coordinators worked hard to develop relationships and credibility within their schools. They volunteered for school events, offered assistance to teachers and staff to relieve their workloads, and highlighted program benefits. Teachers and coordinators often worked together to connect with and engage hard-to-reach students and students on leave. Coordinators fostered motivation by offering safety and support. Coordinators reported that re- moving stigma of teen parenting and offering a safe space was key to building trust and strong relationships with students. Students said they could go to their coordinators with any problem and the coordinators would help them. Students emphasized the closeness they felt with their coordinators, and said they often trusted them more than other adults in their lives. The students said the program felt like “home.” Key takeaways The New Heights evaluation provides an in-depth look at the implementation of the program in DCPS. The coordinators are critical to the program and they have the autonomy to implement and integrate the core components as necessary. In other words, the coordinators are expected to do what it takes to support each student in making progress and graduating. The results suggest that in DCPS, the program model and its implementation served to help a highly dedicated team of program leaders and coordinators come together to improve the academic outcomes of parenting students. The Positive Adolescent Futures Study The Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) is funding the Positive Adolescent Futures study, which includes three evaluations of programs that serve ex- pectant and parenting teens. This study, conducted by Mathematica Policy Research under contract number HHSP233201450026A, is part of OAH’s overall strategy to identify effective programs that offer a seamless network of support for teen mothers, fathers, and their children. The programs evaluated offer a range of programmatic approaches that are prevalent nationwide, particularly among OAH Pregnancy Assistance Fund grantees, including case management and referrals, home visiting, and school-based workshops. The programs take place in California, Washington, DC, and Houston, Texas. All evaluations measure impacts on outcomes that align closely with the program model and examine program implementation. Suggested citation: Zief, Susan, Julie Worthington, and Subuhi Asheer. The New Heights Evaluation: Implementing an Effective School-based Program for Expectant and Parenting Teens. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Adolescent Health, June 2017. To learn more about the Office of Adolescent Health and its grant and evaluation efforts, please visit: http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/ Office of Adolescent Health | Website: http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/ Email: oah.gov@hhs.gov OFFICE OF Phone: (240) 453-2846 ADOLESCENT HEALTH