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Dropout Prevention Jennifer Dounay Education Commission of the States Presentation to Alaska legislators and educators A

Dropout Prevention Jennifer Dounay Education Commission of the States Presentation to Alaska legislators and educators Anchorage, AK October 9, 2008. Dropouts: A National Perspective. Nearly 1 out of 3 high school students will drop out 1.2 million/year

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Dropout Prevention Jennifer Dounay Education Commission of the States Presentation to Alaska legislators and educators A

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  1. Dropout PreventionJennifer DounayEducation Commission of the StatesPresentation to Alaska legislators and educatorsAnchorage, AKOctober 9, 2008

  2. Dropouts: A National Perspective • Nearly 1 out of 3 high school students will drop out • 1.2 million/year • Lower graduation rates among male, American Indian, Black, Hispanic youth Education Commission of the States

  3. Financial More likely to be unemployed Average annual wages near poverty level Lost wages and tax revenues Incarceration 75% of state prison inmates 69% of jail inmates About 59% of federal inmates What’s correlated with dropping out? Education Commission of the States

  4. More bad news… • Health • Link between yrs. of school, life expectancy • Public health costs • Welfare • Teen pregnancy Education Commission of the States

  5. What Does the Research Say? • On-track in grade 9 • Sixth grade indicators • Student/teacher relationships • Parental involvement/expectations • School size • Math course taking, curriculum, achievement Education Commission of the States

  6. What do dropouts say? • Courses boring, no relation to real world • Not motivated/inspired to work hard • 2/3 would have worked harder if more expected of them • No job or career direction in HS • Failing in school • Parents didn’t know till it was too late • “Too much freedom” Sources: The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts, Civic Enterprises LLC, 2006 Michigan Education Association survey of young adults, May 2008 Education Commission of the States

  7. Dropout Prevention: What States Are Doing • Increasing rigor of HS curriculum • Student accountability • Graduation plans/career “majors” • Counseling • Remediation • Early college high schools • Small schools/small learning communities • Alternative pathways to standard diploma • Middle grades efforts • Parental involvement • Ninth grade initiatives • Dual enrollment Education Commission of the States

  8. Increasing rigor of HS curriculum • Supported by research • At least 8 states: college/work ready for all • Too soon to tell for state efforts • Local efforts encouraging (San Jose, CA) • Has to be done right (teacher prep + PD, remediation supports, etc.) Education Commission of the States

  9. Student Accountability • 18 as upper compulsory school age: 20 states • Gets at “too much freedom” cited by dropouts • Some research support • No pass no drive: 27 states • No pass no play: 16 states • No known research support, some anecdotal support for “no pass” Education Commission of the States

  10. Graduation Plans/Career Majors • 9 states, will be 20 + DC by 2011 • Career majors: 3-4 states, will be 5-6 by 2011 • Add relevance • Relatively new: not aware of research base Education Commission of the States

  11. Counseling • Georgia: Graduation Coaches • ID at-risk students, keep on track academically • Now also in middle schools • AL now piloting program • Colorado: School Counselors Corps Grant Program • Priority to schools w/above avg. dropout rates Education Commission of the States

  12. Remediation From ECS database: • District must provide/student must attend • Individual learning plans for at-risk students • Programs must be evaluated: 10 states • Supported by research and dropouts themselves Education Commission of the States

  13. Early College High Schools • Students can earn HS diploma + 2-year degree in 5 years • Geared toward underserved students • State-level policies: 6 states (CO, MI, NC, PA, TN, TX) • Early returns positive: • Attendance rates avg. over 90% • Grade promotion avg. over 90% • Better academic performance than home districts • High graduation rates • Coming soon: ECS policy brief on model state policy components of ECHS Education Commission of the States

  14. Small Schools/Small Learning Communities • More local than state response • Research and dropouts support • NV: HS of 1,200+ students must provide SLCs for grade 9 • CA: Pilot to fund small high schools • FL: School within a school Education Commission of the States

  15. Alternative Pathways to Standard Diploma • Credit recovery • Online or computer-based • Targeted to student need • Indiana: School Flex program • Nevada: Earn HS credits while working toward HS promotion • Flexible scheduling • Alternative means of showing competency Education Commission of the States

  16. Middle Grades Efforts • Grade 6 research supports • RI, LA: Coaching for students below grade level in reading, math • GA: Graduation coaches in middle schools • NV: Dist. reports must incl. dropout rates for grades 6-8 (separate from HS dropout rates) Education Commission of the States

  17. Parental Involvement • Research, dropouts support • HS parents don’t always know what involvement matters • Areas of policy • Developing formal policy • Reaching out on academic expectations • Accommodating parents’ needs • Building staff capacity • Building parent capacity • Developing benchmarks, evaluating impact • ECS policy brief August 2008 Education Commission of the States

  18. Ninth Grade Initiatives • NV: 9th grade SLC in large high schools • Keep data on credits earned, attendance, truancy, other at-risk indicators • Offer timely ID of grade 9 student needs, i.e., remediation, counseling • Increase parent involvement in grade 9 • Assign guidance counselors, 1+ licensed admin., adult mentors for 9th graders • LA: Early intervention for students at risk of failing any 9th grade math • RI: Early intervention for those who fail Algebra I or any 9th grade math class Education Commission of the States

  19. Dual Enrollment • RI: For dist. w/dropout rate > 15% • OR: “Priority” for districts to inform dropouts of Expanded Options • DOE must report # of dropouts who participate, earn HS diploma • IN: Fast Track to College Education Commission of the States

  20. “Dropout Recovery” • Increasing the upper statutory age • Flex. in accelerating learning, demonstrating competency • Flexible credit recovery options • Flexibility in course scheduling, course loads • Clear connections to PS and/or workforce • Communicating options to the public • Source: ECS, “Beyond the GED: State Strategies to Help Former Dropouts Earn a High School Diploma,” August 2008 Education Commission of the States

  21. jdounay@ecs.org303.299.3689 Education Commission of the States

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