Given the demands of a 21st century workforce, educators and policymakers agree that the purpose of high school has shifted from graduating students to ensuring that students are poised for success in college and career.

To drive toward this goal, every American high school must be able to systematically understand the extent to which its graduates are achieving college proficiency—in other words, how well their students are doing the year after high school. With this information in hand, high schools can make sound, strategic decisions to "launch" their students to postsecondary success.

Please join the Center for American Progress and College Summit in celebrating the release of "The Promise of Proficiency," a white paper that proposes steps the federal government must take to ensure that high schools are fully empowered to graduate students onto the path of college and career proficiency.

Please join the Center for American Progress for the release of "Adding Value to Discussions about Value-Added," a paper that aims to help increase teachers' participation in conversations about using estimates of their effectiveness to inform policy. The report includes proposed terms to replace "value added," a conceptual framework for linking estimates of effectiveness to decisions about teachers, and a suite of due-diligence principles.

The nation's youth, age 16-24, have the highest rates of unemployment. With the least amount of experience and mounting competition from older workers, they require targeted interventions. Investments in National Service programs are an innovative approach that leverages public private partnerships and young people to address the pressing issues facing our communities. The programs have proven track record of providing employment, but also educational and training opportunities. Further, youth engaged in service can work to improve communities and provide valuable assistance to non-profits that are feeling the strain of the economy as they seek to serve the growing ranks of the poor. This panel will discuss how strategic investments in service programs can reduce youth unemployment while supporting the organizational needs and development of non-profits.

Scott Evertz served as director of the Office of National AIDS Policy during the Bush administration. While there, he was deeply involved in launching the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, program. On December 15, Mr. Evertz will host a panel of HIV/AIDS experts to discuss where PEPFAR has fallen short, particularly in relation to LGBT communities.

The story of the United States—from its beginnings as a nation to today—has a common thread: Immigrants and their descendants created and continue to contribute to the development of this great country. Two members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, are part of the American story and are helping shape its future.

Please join Secretaries Solis and Locke at the Center for American Progress as they tell their "American Stories" and their perspectives of today’s immigration debate.