Dropout

Dropout Rate

                While most states have spent much time and effort focusing on achievement, educators spend very little time looking at which students make it to graduation.  This, however, is changing.  With the implementation of No Child Left Behind, schools are being held accountable for their graduation rates.  With this, the knowledge we have gained in recent years has taught us a tremendous amount about how to identify students who are at risk of dropping out, and how to prevent it from happening.

                So what causes students to drop out of school?  Research has shown that children are more likely to drop out because of negative experiences in school than family or personal reasons.  It should come as no surprise that schools need to focus on students with poor grades and attendance.  These factors are more predictive than race, poverty, or gender.  Researchers in Philadelphia claim that they can predict up to 50% of potential dropouts by sixth grade and an added 30% by ninth grade.  With this kind of accuracy, educators can get these identified students on track to graduate.  It is also vital to focus on any grade changes during transitional periods.  When grades drop between elementary and middle school, and particularly from middle to high school, it is usually a reliable indicator.  Allensworth (2005) also notes that ninth grade truancy is more predictive of dropouts than eighth grade test scores.

                With all of this information, what interventions should be put in place to keep students on track to graduate?  The best interventions involve counselors and case managers who form close relationships with at risk students and closely monitor grades and attendance.  One successful program  that involves this kind of careful attention is “Check and Connect.”  This program provides sustained intervention to keep students engaged in school.  With this program, schools have seen a decrease in truancy and dropout rates, and an increase in accumulation of credits and graduation rate. As long as educators intervene at the first sign of trouble and give students the skills and tools to solve their problems, high school graduation is possible for everyone.  While early intervention provides some improvement in graduation rates, it is the focus that we give to students entering high school that truly makes a difference.  Additionally, developing close personal relationships between teachers and students will keep students engaged.

                It is important to realize that no strategy is 100% effective.  In fact, researchers have found that they are still unable to predict 15-20% of eventual dropouts.  Unfortunately, many students still slip through the cracks.  If schools continue to stick to programs that have been proven to work, and pay close attention to at-risk populations, dropout rates will continue to decline and the success of students will be sure to increase.