For over a decade, the Urban League of Nebraska has worked with urban middle and high schools in the state to reduce chronic absenteeism and promote social emotional learning among high-needs populations (i.e., underrepresented, underperforming, and economically disadvantaged students) through their Youth Attendance Navigators program. This program embeds adult mentors having lived experience, known as Youth Attendance Navigators, in high-needs Title I schools. Mentors provide at-risk youths with direct, ongoing support. They offer coaching and skills instruction, monitor students’ alterable high-risk school behaviors, facilitate youth Restorative Circles, and provide experiential learning activities. Because mentors are embedded in schools but not directly employed by the school system, they give students and families a unique sounding board, build trust and engagement with teachers and school staff, and support school personnel to better understand and address student educational and SEL needs.

The program has been well received, and consistently demonstrates high student engagement and acceptability but several challenges have hindered its replication and expansion locally and nationally. Impediments include the lack of standardization in implementation, as well as the absence of a system to track fidelity of implementation, evaluation, and data collection. Other obstacles include outdated techniques such as paper-based data-collection instruments, and the absence of a rigorous external evaluation to document program effects on student attendance and educational outcomes. Therefore, a partnership between the Urban League of Nebraska, Oregon Research Institute, and Abt Global was established to systematize the existing Youth Attendance Navigators program, develop mechanisms for scale-up and replication, and gather further evidence of program effectiveness. Over the five-year timeline, the project seeks to improve educational outcomes for high-needs urban students by addressing barriers, refining components, and enhancing engagement and stability for replication.