| It makes perfect sense to emphasize that the | | | | up on kids and their potential because the student |
| increasing rates of dropouts effect every part of our | | | | may fit the profile of a potential dropout. But do |
| systems from: poverty-level living wages, more | | | | keep good track of these students and remediate |
| uninsured for health care, higher prevalence of poor | | | | immediately. Kindergarten and first grade are essential |
| nutrition, less time for parents to nurture their | | | | to building that learning model and teaching parents to |
| children, less supervision of children, thereby | | | | connect to schools and making them feel welcome. |
| foreboding future criminal and other behavior | | | | This is also the perfect time to focus on attendance |
| problems, and kids imitate parents...so if their parents | | | | and train parents and students that there will be |
| dropout of school and did not return... kids may be | | | | consequences to not having their child in school. |
| more likely to do the same. | | | | 4. In some other cultures, mandatory school |
| Despite the myriad of reassurances that the drop-out | | | | attendance is not the law in their native country. For |
| rate is declining, it simply is not true. A recent article | | | | example, in Mexico, the law does not require a child |
| in Time Magazine of April 17th, 2006 devoted the | | | | to attend school. This might be a major cultural shock |
| front page to "DROPOUT NATION" and sent out a | | | | to some Hispanic families. Family visits by personnel |
| clarion call of alarm for dropout rates of 30% and in | | | | who speak the language and can explain this |
| some case 50% for some groups. "Nearly half of all | | | | respectfully might go a long way to helping them |
| dropouts ages 16 to 24 are unemployed." (Page 38) | | | | understand the laws here. |
| These are their recommendations: | | | | 5. Discuss and honor all kinds of careers in schools. |
| 1. Third graders who can't read begin a downward | | | | Our culture still needs: plumbers, carpenters, |
| spiral of failure. Early Literacy programs help. | | | | electricians, licensed vocational nurses, hair dressers, |
| 2. Create alternative high schools. Choices in learning | | | | barbers, mechanics etc. These professions should be |
| environments help kids who struggle in regular high | | | | respected and honored in schools. I have witnessed |
| schools. | | | | that they are not honored on career day or in any |
| 3. Spot future dropouts. Kids telegraph early warning | | | | manner by most of the schools I worked at. |
| signs of truancy or skipping classes. Intervention is | | | | 6. Provide opportunities for choice for students. Our |
| essential. | | | | system should not offer college or nothing. That is |
| 4. Support vocational education. Many dropouts see | | | | the height of irresponsibility to society. Schools can |
| little relationship to school and the real world. Other | | | | offer training for local businesses by connecting with |
| choices beside college help them choose. | | | | business needs and cooperating, as long as the local |
| 5. Get the grownups involved. Parental support or | | | | businesses support the completion of high schools. |
| mentoring help kids see the value of education, a job, | | | | Some high schools are encouraging this and seeing |
| and self-respect. | | | | better results. |
| A survey conducted by Bill and Melinda Gates | | | | 7. School administrators and educators should work |
| released through Civics Enterprises was conducted by | | | | on their attitude as well. I have witnessed |
| John Bridgeland and John Dilulio. The title of this article | | | | superintendents make statements such as:"all |
| was: "Dropouts Say Their Schools Expected Too | | | | students in our schools will go to college". That is |
| Little of Them." | | | | irresponsible in my opinion. Yes, we should have high |
| Three Fourths of the students surveyed say they | | | | expectations and believe in every student who |
| wouldn't dropout if they had to do it over again. | | | | WANTS to go to college and the schools should help |
| These were some interesting statistics: | | | | them. Yes, there have been terrible counselors who |
| 38% said they had too much freedom and too few | | | | encouraged students to dropout. But to not consider |
| rules | | | | that some students are not interested in a four year |
| 68% say their parents became more involved only | | | | college degree is OUR FAILURE to help them do |
| when they were in danger of dropping out | | | | what they want with their life, by preparing them for |
| 70% were confident they could have graduated if | | | | a livable occupation in our society. |
| they tried | | | | 8. Dropout intervention specialists for a district does |
| 81% now believe that graduating from high school is | | | | not necessarily work unless there is a representative |
| important to succeed | | | | from every campus in a committee meeting working |
| The Gates Foundation which has already poured $ 1 | | | | out details to design goals and set intentions for |
| billion into public schools believes breaking up large | | | | every campus to reduce the rate of potential |
| high schools into smaller learning communities will go a | | | | dropouts. Every campus should have a committee |
| long way to help solving this problem. | | | | whose intent is to focus on changing whatever |
| Recommendations from this article suggest skipping | | | | needs to be changed to meet these kids' needs. |
| school or truancy is the first warning indicator of | | | | 9. Effective, committed ESOL programs for kids and |
| dropout behavior. These students need to be | | | | parents would help the school community by teaching |
| identified early and steps taken to immediately | | | | the language of this country to help people work |
| remedy the problem. Raising the legal age for | | | | effectively and learn effectively here. Districts |
| dropping out to 17 or 18 rather than 16 is suggested, | | | | committed to teaching English successfully and |
| as well, as getting parents more involved at an earlier | | | | training teachers properly might help improve the |
| stage when students begin missing school. | | | | odds for success for non-English speaking immigrants. |
| According to an ERIC Digest: | | | | 10. Updating software systems to email parents of |
| "Dropout rates are higher for students coming from | | | | failing students, skipped days, etc. is wonderful for |
| low socioeconomic backgrounds, from single-parent | | | | middle or high-income parents...ones who might have |
| families, and from non-English backgrounds." (From | | | | the least worries about their child dropping out. But |
| the National Center of Educational Statistics) | | | | what are we planning for the most vulnerable of our |
| "Students, who marry, have children, or who have | | | | populations who might not be able to afford a |
| problems with the law or authorities are more likely | | | | computer, must work two jobs to support their |
| to dropout." | | | | families, and may need their high school student to |
| In this study they found that dropouts in a Wisconsin | | | | work to support the family? Perhaps we need to |
| community showed clear indications of academic | | | | contact and work closely with local social workers |
| problems by the third grade. Teacher comments | | | | and the system to design models for these families |
| alone predicted a 63% accuracy. Poor attendance, | | | | as well. Is it too far-fetched to have principals or |
| failing grades, and low overall GPA followed these | | | | assistant principal's drive to kid's houses and pick |
| students until dropout. | | | | them up for school, or to drop in on the parents in |
| Those of you who have been following the errors in | | | | the evening, or call them and make sure |
| reporting dropout rates in several major cities across | | | | arrangements for school are still happening? |
| the nation may have been as dismayed as I have | | | | We have along way to go to help solve this problem, |
| been that the statistics have been manipulated to | | | | and as I stated earlier it is everybody's problem, not |
| make the schools seems more successful than they | | | | just the school system. Forward thinking |
| really are. | | | | administrative personnel can do a great deal to |
| What really seems to work and what can the | | | | implement change in their respective schools, |
| average school and teacher do? | | | | demonstrate the plan's effectiveness, and bring this |
| Some suggestions that seem to be working based | | | | data to a larger council for district-wide change. |
| on the materials I have been reading and the reports | | | | Teachers in classrooms can monitor their students, |
| from spots of success in high schools. | | | | call home frequently to check on absent students, |
| 1. More of a personal and interactive relationship | | | | and enforce the absentee policies. Teachers can also |
| between teachers and students and their parents. My | | | | make sure that every student is reading successfully |
| personal mantra has always been that relationships | | | | by third grade. |
| are a basic foundation of good schools, good | | | | Parents should be reminded frequently about the |
| teachers, and superb educational systems. Kids have | | | | importance of school attendance, and consequences |
| to know you care about them and want them to be | | | | for absenteeism. Businesses can make commitments |
| successful, and, that as a teacher, it one of your | | | | to connect to schools and help train a local |
| highest goals. | | | | workforce to provide employment and employees |
| 2. Create smaller learning communities in large high | | | | for their future and the future of this country. |
| schools and feeder schools. Many of the elementary | | | | Ministers, coaches, trainers, and any other |
| schools in the area I live in now have 900-1000 | | | | professional working with kids in this country can ask: |
| students. It is difficult and, in many cases impossible, | | | | "How are your grades? Are you going to school? |
| for teachers to connect with students and their | | | | Why not? What can I do to help? It is important to |
| families with such a large population. | | | | me that you stay in school. |
| 3. Have high expectations for all students. Don't give | | | | |