Combating the Dropout Epidemic

Why do students drop out of school?  Are our school so boring that they are intolerable?  Would students rather hang out at the mall texting each other? Is the current job market that fantastic that students drop out to find lucrative jobs? Are the military services begging students to quit school and recruit? (The armed services require a minimum of a high school diploma to enlist.) Are schools so dangerous that it is safer to be elsewhere?

According to the American Youth Policy Forum, students who drop out school place a great burden upon themselves as well as the greater community. The form’s research asserts that:

·         Students who drop out have  reduced earning power as they progress  through their working lives

·         59% of those who have been incarcerated in federal institutions  are  drop outs

·         Students who drop out  end up  paying less in taxes

·         Dropouts  are more likely to rely on public assistance

Over the years, there have been a number of programs that were developed to encourage students to stay in school. A number if philanthropic organizations offer scholarships to minority students who graduate from high school and go on to college. Several school districts have even experimented with paying (read bribing) students to go to school on a regular basis.

The National Dropout Prevention Centers ( www.dropoutprevention.org) offer a list of suggestions/ recommendations for educators and parents. They include:

·         Getting parents involved  in their children’s education at an early age

·         Provide a safe learning environment

·         Literacy programs

·         Mentoring and tutoring

·         After school programs

·         Alternative education programs

·         Vocational and technical education

·         Early intervention programs

·         Professional development programs for  educators

(Note: the National Dropout Prevention Center national conference will be held in Chicago, IL from October 9-12. Go to the web site for more details.)

Another organization that is working to stop the dropout epidemic in the US is America’s Promise Alliance (www.americaspromise.org). Founded in 1997 By General Colin Powell, the mission of the organization is built upon “Five Promises” that aim to create an awareness of the dropout problem and to advocate for organizations to in both the corporate and faith based sectors.

One last link that you may find useful is www.betterhighschools.org. This site is run by the National High School Center at the American Institute for Research. Here you will find a number of links with much more information about the drop out crisis in the United States.

We need to make education important. It is even more critical given the current economic situation that we prepare students to obtain the skills to lead productive lives and continue the democratic process. The goals are that much more difficult when legislators slash education budgets and programs and continue to attack the teaching profession. W are all in this together.  We need to make staying in school a priority.

As always your comments and input are welcome. Please let us know if your school has developed a dropout prevention initiatives that  you would like to share.