139. Avoiding Dropouts through School-to-Career Support with Ken Smith

Helping youth who have dropped out of high school is important, but what if we could prevent the dropouts altogether? That’s the idea behind Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG), championed by this week’s podcast guest, Ken Smith.

 

As the president and CEO of this 40-year-old non-profit organization, Ken is working to ensure that America’s most vulnerable youth succeed after high school and secure good jobs. And they do that through mentorship and career-focused educational opportunities inside schools.

 

Attendance has been pointed to by state leaders as the most pressing issue in schools. But it’s not about getting students into seats, which is a symptom of a bigger issue. What’s missing is connection. And without programs like JAG, we risk losing a big part of our next generation.

 

JAG has served more than 1.7 million students to date in 39 states and Ken’s vision has that impact doubling over the next few years. I’m incredibly impressed with the resources and opportunities that JAG will add in the coming years and I have no doubt that Ken will reach his goal.

About Ken Smith:

Mr. Kenneth M. Smith serves as President and CEO of Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc. (JAG), the nation’s largest, most consistently applied model of high school retention and school-to-career transition for high-risk young people of great promise.

 

In 1979, Mr. Smith worked with Governor Pete du Pont of Delaware on the design of the first statewide test of the JAG Model and has served as President and CEO since its inception.  JAG currently serves 75,000 young people annually, in more than 1,450 high schools, middle schools, and out-of-school programs in 39 states.   Over 1.4 million youth have been connected to JAG throughout its 40-year history.

The non-profit JAG National Board of Directors is chaired by Governor John Bel Edwards of Louisiana.  It includes among its 50 members—fourteen Governors and several executives of major corporations and business and community organizations.

 

In recognition of his knowledge of national employment and training issues, three Presidents have appointed Mr. Smith to national commissions.  He was appointed in 1981 and again in 1983 by President Reagan as Chairman of the National Commission for Employment Policy.  Designed to analyze the full range of government policy related to employment, the Commission continues with a $2 million annual appropriation and a 15-member professional staff.  Mr. Smith also accepted an appointment by President Reagan to the National Advisory Council on Vocational Education, where he had previously served under appointment by President Ford.  President Nixon appointed Mr. Smith as Vice Chairman of the National Advisory Council on the Education of Disadvantaged Children for the period 1973-76.

Mr. Smith is also Chairman and Chief Executive of Strategic Partnerships LLC.

 

Prior to founding JAG, Mr. Smith served as staff aide to President Nixon (1969-70); as Director of Special Projects for the Distributive Education Clubs of America; and founder and President of 70,0001 Ltd., a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping high school dropouts obtain employment.  Thereafter, he served in a new post as Senior Advisor to the Governor of Delaware on all activities related to education at the secondary and postsecondary levels.  During this period, he chaired the Commission of the Future of Education in Delaware and was nominated to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Delaware Technical College.

 

Mr. Smith serves as a Trustee of the America’s Promise Alliance, founded in 1997 with General Colin Powell as Chairman and chaired today by Alma Powell, is a cross-sector partnership of more than 300 corporations, nonprofits, faith-based organizations and advocacy groups that are passionate about improving lives and changing outcomes for children

Jump in the Conversation: [1:22] - Who is Ken Smith [1:50] - Where Ken’s story of serving youth started [4:35] - The depth and breadth of schools is daunting [4:51] - Our present situation now is the most alarming we’ve ever seen [6:48] - A disconnected population at scale [7:23] - Attendance is the symptom, not the disease [8:25] - Part time work increases motivation in school [9:17] - What JAG is and why are so many students a part of it [13:22] - Youth need a relationship with a mentor [16:15] - How JAG has spread to so many states [19:16] - Where JAG is heading [23:09] - Turbo Time [28:04] - Ken’s passion for JAG [28:48] - Something good that’s come out of COVID [30:38] - Ken’s Magic Wand [33:12] - Maureen’s Takeaways Links & Resources JAG Rita Pierson TED Talk Email Maureen Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools The Education Evolution Facebook: Follow Education Evolution Twitter: Follow Education Evolution LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution EdActive Collective Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids Micro-school feature on Good Morning America The Micro-School Coalition Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition LEADPrep