Junior Achievement's Critical Issues Papers
JA Is a Thought Leader in the Industry!
Take a look at the critical issues papers we've developed.
2017 JA Youth and Financial Literacy Survey
In its first survey of elementary-aged children and their parents, Junior Achievement discovers how well kids understand money while learning when parents think children should start learning about financial concepts. This research is presented in conjunction with the Jackson Charitable Foundation.
2017 Teens and Career Survey
Everyone agrees that STEM plays an important role in the job market of today…and tomorrow. But what do teens think of STEM, and other career fields, and how does that perspective differ by gender? The 2017 Teens & Careers Survey by Junior Achievement and EY explores those issues, and more.
2016 Teens and Personal Finance Survey
Junior Achievement's 2016 Teens and Personal Finance Survey, sponsored by the Voya Foundation, shows that teens believe borrowers, not the government, are responsible for paying off their student loans.
The States of Entrepreneurship Education in America
The number of states offering entrepreneurship education programs more than doubled between 2009 to 2015. See if your state is one of them.
2015 Teens and Personal Finance Survey
Junior Achievement's 2015 Teens and Personal Finance Survey, sponsored by The Allstate Foundation, reveals a surprising disconnect between teens' and parents' views around paying for college and managing money.
Taking it Digital: New Opportunities for Volunteer Service
Junior Achievement, with the help of partners like Citi, is scaling volunteer engagement using technology and a blended learning approach. See what students and teachers have to say about this new model that supports the JA Education Gateway.
Millennials and College Planning
The rising cost of college is spurring many young adults to re-evaluate their post-secondary education options. See what Millennials are saying about it.
Are Students Prepared for the Workplace?
Business leaders claim that the generation of students entering the workplace lacks many critical "soft" skills like problem solving and critical thinking, abilities that contribute to an individual's and an organization's success. Explore Junior Achievement's new proposed model that links a foundation of recognized knowledge, skills and attitudes to measurable engagement and achievement activities. The application of this model can potentially lead to a student who is credentialed to be "workforce ready," fully prepared to contribute meaningfully upon entering a 21st century global workplace.
2014 Teens and Personal Finance Survey
Junior Achievement's 15th Teens and Personal Finance Survey examines teens' and tweens' attitudes and behaviors around managing money. Data collected from young people ages 8-13 are included for the first time in this year's survey.
Millennials and Entrepreneurship
See what Millennials are saying about becoming entrepreneurs, and how mentoring can play an important role in start-up business growth.
Millennials and Social Good
Millennials have very different ideas than other generations about volunteerism and their preferred ways of supporting their favorite causes.
Millennials and Money
How do Millennials manage their money? Are they more frugal or more extravagant than other age groups? See what the data say.
Millennials and Tech Evolution
It's no surprise that Millennials interact with technology very differently than other generations. Get the scoop here.
2013 Teens and Careers Survey
Today's teens want to pursue careers that will provide both financial rewards and job satisfaction. To gauge teens' perspectives on their ideal careers and what steps they will need to take to get on their desired career path, Junior Achievement USA and the ING Foundation recently conducted their 12th annual Teens & Careers Survey.
The Role of Common Core Standards in College and Career-Readiness Education
America's schools face unprecedented challenges to prepare students for postsecondary education and entry into the U.S. and global workforce. Discover how programs developed by JA USA directly support the goals of the Common Core State Standards Initiative at elementary, middle, and high school levels to ensure students are college and career ready.
Junior Achievement: A Solution to the Workforce Skills Gap
The workforce skills gap has a significant impact on our nation's productivity, economy, and global competitiveness. Learn more about this issue and how Junior Achievement is addressing it, by teaching students how to apply the knowledge they learn in the classroom to real-world problems and equipping them with the skills they need to be college- and career-ready.
2011 Free Enterprise Survey
Junior Achievement USA and the National Chamber Foundation recently conducted the first-ever national survey of high school juniors' views of entrepreneurship, free enterprise and capitalism.
The Entrepreneurial Workforce
Read the results of a Junior Achievement/Gallup survey about the current state of the American workforce and what can be done to make our workforce more competitive.
What Do Teens Say about Money Management?
Read what teens are saying about how they manage money and when they want to learn these important skills.
Government Stimulus and Economic Recovery
Did the 2009 federal economic stimulus work? Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act helped pull the economy out of a serious recession that might have nosedived into a depression, it was not nearly as effective as the government had predicted. This cutting-edge Junior Achievement report discusses the U.S. policymaking process, why the economic recovery is lagging, and the outlook for 2011-12.
How Business Can Help Attack the Dropout Crisis in America
The high school drop-out crisis has far-reaching economic implications. Read how Junior Achievement and AT&T are tackling the issue by providing students with real-world job shadow experiences that enhance the relevancy of education.
Increasing Graduation Rates
This paper provides an overview of the high school dropout issue in the U.S., how school districts and states are responding to this issue, and how Junior Achievement USA is part of a collaborative solution to increasing graduation rates. In this paper, you will be introduced to key statistics and gain a deeper understanding of how Junior Achievement programs reinforce the value of an education and bridge the gap between what is being taught in school and how it can be applied in the real world.
America's Housing Crisis
This JA Critical Issues paper provides a context for understanding America's current housing crisis. Through this paper, the reader will understand how the economic crisis impacted individual homeowners and the entire housing industry.
Benefits of Employee Volunteer Programs
There is ample evidence that volunteering can strengthen work teams and build employee skills as well as contribute to professional development. Check out the impact report results for more information!
Teens Speak Out: Junior Achievement Surveys
What do teens say is the biggest hurdle on the path to entrepreneurship? Check out the results of Junior Achievement's 2010 Teens and Entrepreneurship Survey here.
New JA/ING Teen Poll on Kids and Careers
JA/ING Poll on kids and careers finds that a majority of teens are confident they will find their ideal career.
View and Download the PDF
Junior Achievement Creates Alumni Success
Junior Achievement reached out to its alumni to help determine the long-term impact of JA programs. Our alumni are more than twice as confident that they can successfully compete in a business environment, compared to adults without JA experience. Check out the impact report results for more information!
JA Position Papers On the Economic Crisis
View and Download "The High Unemployment: The Recession's Harsh Reality"
View and Download "The U.S. Financial Crisis: Global Repercussions"
View and Download "Understanding Stock Market Fluctuations"
View and Download "Understanding the Financial Crisis: Origin and Impact"
A Primer on the $1.4 Trillion Federal Budget Deficit
This JA white paper explains the fundamental economics and politics of the issue and discusses the elements involved in reversing the trend of a steadily increasing deficit.
