Use To&Through data tool to access community areas

In a few recent articles I focused on using maps and community area data to build an understanding of how much extra support youth in different areas need to move safely through high school, post high school education, then into jobs and careers.

See articles here, here and here.

Yesterday the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research's  (click here)  To&Through Program  (click here) released a new To&Through Community Milestones Tool, which they describe as "a first-of-its-kind interactive data tool that organizes data on CPS students' attainment by the community area in which they live rather than the school they attend."

In my articles I focused on Chicago community area level planning.  In the To&Through Project's interactive dashboard they apply the same lens.  You can sort the report by community area and find demographic information along with school graduation and college attendance rates for each community area, and for demographic groups within each community area.  I show the Austin area in the graphic below.

Here's a link to the 11/4/2021 webinar where they introduced the dashboard and research paper.  Additional webinars will be held on November 9 and November 17.  I encourage planners to watch these and learn to add this data tool to others they use in building an understanding of community area youth development needs.

During the introduction of the webinar the slide I show below expressed a recognition of the need to "Expand accountability for improving students' outcomes and addressing enduring disinvestments in communities of color."  

I'm listening to @UChiToThrough webinar now. Highlighting the point about expanding accountability. We need more people, in all sectors, working to help kids through school and into meaningful jobs and careers. Use #SNA tools like #NodeXL to show networks and growth. https://t.co/yqXyB9RSPf pic.twitter.com/Q8TOSBqySW

— Daniel Bassill (@tutormentorteam) November 4, 2021

This is what I've been focusing on for the past 25 years.  More people need to be looking at this information, then sharing what they are learning with others, so more and more people get involved. 

That process needs to continue for a decade or longer so that teams of people form to support the growth of birth-to-work school and non-school youth support programs in all of the community areas where data shows they are needed most.

And that growing interest needs to manifest in a growing flow of dollars into EACH of the high needs community areas, supporting schools and non-school tutor, mentor, jobs, youth development and learning programs.

I hope you'll look at the To&Through Project dashboard and take part in the work needed to help the most underserved communities get more of the resources they need to help more kids from birth-to-work.

Connect with me on one of these social media platforms and help spread this message to more people and places.

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