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Dropouts and Dropout Prevention Jennifer Dounay Education Commission of the States Presentation to Colorado Dropout Prevention, Retention and Recovery Summit Mountain Range High School, Westminster, CO December 5, 2007. About ECS. 50-state education compact est’d 1965 Nonpartisan, nonprofit
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Dropouts and Dropout PreventionJennifer DounayEducation Commission of the StatesPresentation to Colorado Dropout Prevention, Retention and Recovery SummitMountain Range High School, Westminster, CODecember 5, 2007
About ECS • 50-state education compact est’d 1965 • Nonpartisan, nonprofit • Serves all state-level education policymakers and their staffs: • Governors • Legislators • State board members • State superintendents • SHEEOs and higher education boards Education Commission of the States
Dropout Prevention: What States Are Doing • Increasing rigor of HS curriculum • Student accountability • Graduation plans/career “majors” • Remediation • Early college high schools • Small schools/small learning communities • Alternative pathways to standard diploma • Middle grades efforts • Parental involvement • Ninth grade initiatives Education Commission of the States
Increasing Rigor • Supported by research • At least 8 states: “College/work ready for all” • Too soon to tell for state efforts • Local efforts (San Jose, CA) encouraging Education Commission of the States
Student Accountability • Upper compulsory school age • Gets at “too much freedom” cited by dropouts • No pass/no drive: 27 states • No pass/no play: 23 states • Upper statutory age: 21 in 31 states • Learnfare Education Commission of the States
Graduation Plans/Career Majors • Graduation plans: 9 states, will be 20 + DC by 2011 • Career majors: 3-4 states, will be 5-6 by 2011 • Add relevance • Not aware of research base Education Commission of the States
Remediation • Districts req’d to provide/student req’d to attend • Individual graduation plans for at-risk students • State requires districts to evaluate: 10 states • Supported by research and dropouts themselves Education Commission of the States
Early College High Schools • Combine HS w/Associate’s Degree (60 credits) • Targeted to high minority and/or high poverty • 2/3 African American or Latino • 60% free/reduced lunch • Center for Native Education: 18 sites in AK, CA, OR, WA • State-level policies in 5 states(CO, NC, PA, TN, TX) • Early returns positive: • 90%+ attendance rates • Promotion rates above 90% Education Commission of the States
Small Schools/Small Learning Communities • More local than state-level response • Research and dropouts’ experience support • NV: HS of 1,200+ students must provide SLCs • CA: Financial incentives pilot • FL: Schools-within-a-school Education Commission of the States
Alternative Pathways to Standard Diploma • KY: Credit recovery through virtual school • IN: School Flex program • FL: Districts must provide: • Alternative means of showing competency • Creative/flexible scheduling • Credit recovery courses, intensive math/reading intervention courses based on FCAT scores • FL: Dept. to provide more applied, integrated courses • NV: Earn HS credits while working toward HS promotion Education Commission of the States
Middle Grades Efforts • FL, KY: Career awareness/planning as early as grade 6 • FL: Middle grades course promotion policies • FL: Intensive reading, math remediation for low FCAT scorers • NV: Include grade 6-8 dropout rates in state board report • MS: Pilot on building relationships, planning for future, importance of staying in school Education Commission of the States
Parental Involvement • Addresses research, dropouts’ suggestions • Areas of policy: • Developing formal parent involvement policy • Communicating academic expectations to parents • Recognizing, accommodating parent needs • Building staff capacity to engage with parents • Building parent capacity to engage with fellow parents, staff, and community members • Developing success benchmarks and evaluating impact Education Commission of the States
Ninth Grade Initiatives • NV: SLCs in large high schools: • Designate separate grade 9 area • Keep data on credits earned, attendance, truancy, other at-risk indicators • Offer timely ID of grade 9 student needs, i.e., remediation, counseling • Increase parental involvement at grade 9 • Assign guidance counselors, 1+ licensed administrator, adult mentors for 9th graders Education Commission of the States
Mississippi Dropout Summit • MS goal: reduce DO rate by 50% in 5 years • “Destination Graduation” youth summit • Why students drop out • Student perspectives on 5 state strategies • Identify add’l strategies not already in plan • Catalyst for action in each high school? • America’s Promise summit in Feb. • Present results of youth summit Education Commission of the States
Last but Not Least Dropping back in • Upper statutory age • Opportunities to earn HS diploma at CC • Flexible scheduling • Career/next steps planning Education Commission of the States
Want to Learn More? • ECS Research Studies Database: www.ecs.org/rs • ECS Remediation Database: www.ecs.org > HS Databases • The Costs and Benefits of an Excellent Education for All of America’s Children http://www.cbcse.org/modules/download_gallery/dlc.php?file=35 • Coming soon! ECS database and policy brief on early college high schools • Coming soon! ECS policy brief on parental involvement at the HS level Education Commission of the States
jdounay@ecs.org 303.299.3689 Education Commission of the States