Colorado Youth for a Change

Founded in 2005 in response to over 18,000 youth dropping out of Colorado schools each year, CYC works each and every day to solve the dropout crisis. We partner with 12 school districts to serve 3,000 students each year, working primarily in metro Denver and northern Colorado. While the focus of our work began with reengaging youth who had dropped out of high school, we’ve expanded our programs to also serve students who are showing early warning signs of dropping out, providing dropout prevention programs for youth as young as kindergarten and up to age 21.

Our Programs:

• Reengagement Program: Reenrolling students who have left high school without graduating, to ensure that they earn a diploma or GED. During the 2017-18 program year, CYC reenrolled 451 youth in school; 99 students earned a diploma or GED; and nearly two thirds graduated or continued their enrollment.
• Educational Intervention Program: Ensuring that 9 th and 10 th grade students are on track to graduate by providing academic support and skill building (academic planning, study skills, organizational skills, and decision-making skills).
• Colorado Reading Corps: Helping students read at grade level the end of 3 rd grade. A replication of the highly successful Minnesota Reading Corps, this program uses in-school tutors to provide daily, one-on-one literacy intervention for young learners, getting them up to their grade level targets in reading
• Futures Academy: In partnership with Aurora Public Schools and in its 10 th year, Futures Academy reenrolls disconnected youth (ages 17-21) in school, and provides direct-instructions GED preparation, paired with concurrent enrollment in college certificate and degree programs.
• Attendance Program: Increasing school attendance in high school to increase academic achievement and prevent students from dropping out of school.