home
 
Puget Sound ESD

Reinvesting in Youth (RIY)

Puget Sound ESD is the lead agency for Reinvesting in Youth (RIY), a county-wide multi-organization effort to find and implement best practices to reduce the youth school drop-out rate.

Initially, RIY worked with the King County juvenile justice system to move to a coordinated, community-based system of cost-effective crime prevention and early intervention. With the realization that the majority of students involved in the juvenile justice system are high school dropouts (or have earned so few credits that they are unlikely to graduate), RIY is focusing on dropout prevention, intervention and retrieval strategies that are most likely to increase graduation rates.

RIY will work with district leaders to develop a comprehensive dropout prevention action plan that includes the best research-based school practices and programs and will provide technical assistance, resources and support to help with implementation and evaluation. Plans will involve staff, students, parents and community in a comprehensive effort. RIY is also working with legislators and education stakeholders on policy reform and potential incentives to address the dropout challenge.

RYI is supported through funds from the City of Seattle, King County, suburban cities, United Way, and the Bill & Melinda Gates, Paul G. Allen, and Norcliffe Foundations.