Next Step has a clear mission:

Ensure that our students today have the skills to determine their own tomorrow. We have identified key milestones that tell us if we are successful and measure students’ progress towards identified educational and vocational goals. We know that strong data helps us prove and improve our impact, so we track outcomes closely and with an eye to growth and improvement.

What we measure:

Graduating high school by earning an accredited diploma or passing an equivalency exam (such as the GED)

Progressing towards graduation by advancing a grade level in terms of high school credits, passing individual equivalency sub-tests, or advancing a grade level in reading, writing and math as demonstrated on pre and post-tests

Entering, succeeding in and graduating from college with a certificate or degree

Increasing income after completing high school or college level

Next Step strives to meet and exceed national and local rates for high school and college graduation, and tracks student income gains leading out of poverty.