Creating Supports for Academic Achievement: A Report for the Teen Parent Family Center

A formative evaluation of the Teen Parent Family Center at Martin Luther King High School in Philadelphia. The authors examine the efficacy of the Center at supporting adolescent parents in their academics and parenting. This report found that relationships with adults are central to students’ perceptions of their learning environments, and that the Center provides an ideal forum for the creation of these relationships. It was also found that students have problems dealing with school bureaucracy and that various school programs including the Center are fragmented and lack coordination. Five recommendations are offered to improve the performance of the Teen Parent Family Center.