Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force Report
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THE CHARLOTTE- MECKLENBURG OPPORTUNITY TASK FORCE REPORT OUR CHILDREN. THEIR FUTURE. OUR COMMITMENT. HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT The report is divided into three sections: • Executive Summary • Report and Recommendations • Appendix The Appendix contains a full list of recommendations and examples of potential partners for implementation. March 2017 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE TASK FORCE TASK FORCE MEMBERS SPONSOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PROJECT SUPPORT i. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 CHAPTER I: CONTEXT A Wake-Up Call for Charlotte-Mecklenburg The Study That Caught Our Attention A Note about the American Dream The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force and Our Work Approach to Our Discovery Process A Path Forward: Conclusions and Recommendations The Problem We Need to Solve Our Highest Aspiration for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Key Determinants: What Matters Most? Factors We Chose Not to Include Focus on Systems and Structures vs. Programming 12 CHAPTER II: THE IMPACT OF SEGREGATION / A CROSS-CUTTING FACTOR How We Got to Where We Are: Our Segregation Story Breaking Down Barriers A Special Note on the Reduction of High Poverty Schools 18 CHAPTER III: DETERMINANT ONE / EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION Quality Early Care and Preschool Education: A Game Changer Early Care and Education Professionals: Supporting and Strengthening Early Brain Development: Building a Strong Foundation 26 CHAPTER IV: DETERMINANT TWO / COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS Career-Connected Learning and Readiness: "Next Generation" Pathways TABLE OF CONTENTS CONTINUED 26 Advancing on a Career Pathway: The Importance of Career and College Guidance Apprenticeships, Paid Internships and Other Work-Based Learning: Learn and Earn Support for First Generation College Students: Staying the Course Disconnected Youth (Ages 16-24): Helping Them Reconnect Expectations for Post-Secondary Attainment: Building a Mecklenburg Talent Pipeline 38 CHAPTER V: DETERMINANT THREE / CHILD AND FAMILY STABILITY Family Structure: The Importance of Two-Parent Involvement Childbearing Prenatal and Postnatal Health Financial Security: Getting on a Path to a Living Wage Income Access to Affordable Housing: A Must For Families Access to Public Transportation: Getting Around When Just Getting By Mental Health: Managing the Impacts of Mental and Emotional Stress Involvement with the Criminal Justice System: Dealing with the Enduring Consequences Accessing Services and Support: Navigating Disjointed Systems 54 CHAPTER VI: SOCIAL CAPITAL /A CROSS-CUTTING FACTOR Life Navigators 58 CHAPTER VII: WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE REPORT AND COMMUNITY Guiding Principles Building Accountability Call to Action: What to do Right Now Final Thoughts from the Task Force SOURCES/REFERENCES A LETTER FROM THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG OPPORTUNITY TASK FORCE DEAR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, In the last two years, our community has learned–and relearned–a hard truth that has been difficult for some to accept: access to economic opportunity in Charlotte-Mecklenburg is far too often aligned with the zip code where one lives. For every young person with a bright spark of hope and a pathway for his or her future, there is another, not so far away, living day to day without the necessities to light his or her own path. Our community is not unique. We live in a country that faces the inheritance of inequity daily, but has very little sense of how to address it together. A fear of unfamiliar people and ideas has crept into our politics and policies, leading us to focus ever inward. Our communities are divided by race and income. Our true neighbors are fewer. The circumstances of our daily lives and the way in which our community has physically evolved over time often inhibit us from crossing paths and knowing people whose lives are different from ours. Some of us are fearful of the differences and changes occurring around us; many of us are naturally inclined to stay close to the worlds we know; and others of us are not as aware as we would hope. Charlotte-Mecklenburg stands at a crossroads. We must decide whether to remain distant from one another, or to join hands to build a better future for our city and county. This choice will determine the potential of generations to come. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Opportunity Task Force includes twenty people charged with the responsibility of devising a path forward. Task Force members believe we must seize the moment we have inherited. All residents of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, regardless of position or particular interest, must come together with lasting resolve and common purpose to make a pledge to the future of our community. At the heart of this pledge must be a firm commitment to the most vulnerable, and yet the most promising members of our population—our children and youth. The work begins today to ensure Charlotte-Mecklenburg is a place that honors the spark in young people and ensures they have the tools and opportunities to thrive. Our vision is ambitious but attainable. We need only the courage to confront what may hurt, embrace that which will help, and sustain collective action in the spirit of truth, trust, and compromise. We ask that you join us on this journey for our future. Respectfully, OPHELIA GARMON-BROWN DEE O'DELL Opportunity Task Force Co-Chair Opportunity Task Force Co-Chair CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG OPPORTUNITY TASK FORCE Dr. Ophelia Garmon-Brown (Co-Chair) Mr. Dee O’Dell (Co-Chair) SVP, Community Wellness and Education, Senior Vice President, US Bank Novant Health Mr. Matt Martin Ms. Crandall Bowles Regional Executive, Federal Reserve Bank of Retired CEO, Springs Global Richmond – Charlotte Branch Dr. David Chadwick Rev. Clifford Matthews Pastor, Forest Hill Church Pastor, St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church Mr. Jeffrey A. Conway Ms. Felicia McAdoo Franchise Owner, Ruth’s Chris Steak House Retired, Chief Deputy, Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office Mr. Esteban Echeverria Attorney at Law Ms. Symone McGee Manager of High School Initiatives, Dr. Michael Friedland YMCA of Greater Charlotte Founder, Friedland Foundation Physician, Carolinas HealthCare System Mr. Andrew Plepler Environmental, Social and Governance Mr. Dale Gillmore Executive, Bank of America Founder/Chair – Make An Impact Foundation Partner – Viking Mergers & Acquisitions Mr. Barry Sherman Social Worker, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Dr. Tisha Greene Principal, Oakhurst STEAM Academy Dr. Ricky Woods Minister, First Baptist Church West Mr. Alvaro Gurdián Jr. Vice President of Operations, La Noticia Ms. Grazell Howard Strategic Business Consultant, King & Kairos Mr. Ron Leeper President & Owner, R.J. Leeper Construction Ms. Marianne Lyall-Knusel Associate Dean, College and Career Readiness, Central Piedmont Community College SPONSOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PROJECT STAFF SUPPORT PROJECT COORDINATION: Z. SMITH REYNOLDS FOUNDATION FOR THE CAROLINAS FOUNDATION Brian Collier Tracy Greene-Washington Executive Vice President Program Officer, Community Economic Development KNIGHT FOUNDATION Carol Morris Assistant Director, Robinson Center Susan Patterson for Civic Leadership Program Director –Charlotte (Retired) Eli Kahn Charles Thomas Community Programs & Program Director –Charlotte Civic Leadership Associate UNC-CHARLOTTE URBAN INSTITUTE Alli Celebron-Brown Dr. Owen Furuseth Vice President and Director, Associate Provost for Metropolitan Studies (Emeritus) Community Programs Laura Simmons CITY OF CHARLOTTE Director of Community Indicators Debra Campbell SOLID Assistant City Manager Tracy Russ MECKLENBURG COUNTY Principal Leslie Johnson Candice Langston Assistant County Manager Principal Anthony Trotman Assistant County Manager EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Opportunity Task Force, a group of 20 The Task Force’s highest aspiration is that Charlotte- community members, spent 18 months in 2015 and 2016 Mecklenburg leaders—governmental, philanthropic, focused on the inheritance of intergenerational poverty and business, faith, nonprofit, neighborhood and grassroots—as its negative impact on the life trajectory of far too many of well as the community at large, will come together in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s children and youth. Yes, we are a months and years ahead to reorganize our systems and thriving, opportunity-rich community that continues to attract structures, change policies and practices and otherwise people—nearly 50 a day—but that is only part of our story. boldly embrace and rally around a vision of Charlotte- In 2013, a Harvard University/UC Berkeley study uncovered Mecklenburg as a community that cares about all our the other part of our story - our community ranked 50th out children and youth—regardless of income, race or zip of 50 in economic mobility among the largest U.S. cities— code—and where all our children feel they belong, have specifically the ability of a child born in the bottom income big dreams, and find the opportunities to achieve those quintile to rise to the top income quintile as an adult. dreams. The results of this study were tangible with serious This executive summary provides an overview of consequences. It was time for our community to take the key findings and recommendations detailed in our full bold action to bridge this opportunity gap. Community, report to the community. We acknowledge we don’t have government, and philanthropic leaders recognized the all the answers, and others may disagree with our findings. need for action, and formed the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Therefore, we view our report as a living document, one Opportunity Task Force, knowing we could no longer remain we hope