MBK Yonkers, the journey to impact
As the backbone entity, MBK Yonkers received recognition as an MBK Model Community in 2023 for demonstrating population-level impact in Milestone 3, achieving a graduation rate of 91% by 2021.
- MBK Alliance
- Stories
- Programs
The My Brother’s Keeper Alliance (MBK) was created in 2014 to lead a cross-sector national call to action focused on building safe and supportive communities for boys and young men of color (BYMOC). MBK’s work is rooted in six key life milestones from cradle to career that research shows are especially predictive of later success, and where interventions can have the greatest impact. As the backbone entity, MBK Yonkers received recognition as an MBK Model Community in 2023 for demonstrating population-level impact in Milestone 3, achieving a graduation rate of 91% by 2021.
Challenges faced by Yonkers Public Schools
Yonkers Public Schools serve a student population comprised of 62 percent Latine, 16 percent Black, and 73 percent living below the poverty line. The district has been historically underfunded and has faced significant challenges. Before 2016, the graduation rate was 70 percent, compared to the 2016–2017 national adjusted cohort graduation rate of 85 percent. Additionally, the district struggled to support English Language Learners (ELLs) and parents unfamiliar with the best practices for college readiness. Eager to meet the community's needs, Yonkers’ Mayor Mike Spano, in collaboration with the former District Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada, accepted the MBK challenge and committed to changing the population level outcomes for young people in Yonkers public schools.
Data-driven culture
To initiate change, Yonkers Public Schools decided an initial step to take was to prioritize data visibility. The district did so by making data and reports on student achievement more public. Additionally, school academic counselors began sitting with students to analyze their transcripts and facilitate the next steps in their education journey to put them on track to graduate and ensure their path forward to become college- and career-ready. High school leadership teams also intentionally engaged parents, aligning expectations around academic progress and the path to being college- and career-ready; ultimately helping parents ensure the children were prepared and on track for graduation. The ultimate aim was to create a shared belief that high school graduation and college attendance are attainable norms for BYMOC in Yonkers. Visual reminders, such as college pennants displayed in classrooms, reinforced a new culture, exposing students to diverse educational possibilities.
Building a common language and integrating resources
Another way Yonkers achieved success was by ensuring all stakeholders throughout various high school campuses spoke the same language regarding education. To that end, high school educators created and shared practical resources with students and parents, including credit recovery opportunities, cross-age tutoring, and Professional Learning Communities, which are ongoing meetings where educators work collaboratively in recurring cycles of collective inquiry and action research to achieve better results for the students they serve. They also provided mentorship, volunteer hours, and job support for students. Greg Joyner, program coordinator for MBK Yonkers, worked with BYMOC in the city to develop essential life skills, such as public speaking, financial literacy, time management, and more. Other comprehensive strategies included increasing parental involvement, setting clear student expectations, using personalized teaching approaches, and ensuring consistent school leadership. The district also pushed back against limited financial resources, securing funds from the state and community donors to maximize student abilities.
Results and achievements
The intentional efforts of Yonkers Public Schools and MBK Yonkers increased the graduation rate to 91 percent by 2021, a stark difference from what used to be only 70%. The 2% dropout rate, which was previously 30 percent, is unprecedented for an urban district and reflects the significant impact of their collective endeavors.
Sustaining success and replicating the model
Yonkers Public Schools, backed by MBK Yonkers, is now focused on sustaining its success and leveraging its model to assist other districts facing similar challenges. With the new Superintendent, Anibal Soler Jr., taking up the charge, the district will continue to serve as a blueprint for other communities, creating a ripple effect of educational transformation.
The collaborative model employed by Yonkers Public Schools and MBK Yonkers sets a standard for addressing challenges, offering a roadmap for other school districts committed to achieving population-level impact. Through it all, MBK Yonkers emerges as a beacon of success, proving that intentionality, data-driven strategies, and robust community involvement can reshape outcomes for BYMOC.
Learn about the other model communities
- MBK Alliance
- Stories
ImpactTulsa has fostered a network of partners in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who are specifically focused on impacting the systems that affect BYMOC.
Learn more
- MBK Alliance
- Youth
MBK Omaha has become a Model Community for showing a population-level impact on Milestone 6, all youth remain safe from violent crimes by demonstrating a 30 percent decrease in homicides from 2011 to 2022.
Learn more
- MBK Alliance
- Stories