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Facts
• 27% of Detroit High School Students GRADUATE
• 85% of prison inmates dropped-out of school
• Average Cost to taxpayers per inmate is $41,000/yr
• Largest Group w/in a demographic who Quit School – African American
Ask a Drop-Out….Why?
“School is boring”
“I am failing”
Did you know that???California credits the number of prison cells they will need in advance by determining the number of 3rd graders who cannot read.
CAUSES of Drop-Outs also places a student “At-risk”
• Low SES• Non English-Speaking Homes• Ineffective Parenting• Low Parental Expectation• Dysfunctional Home life• Lack of Parental Involvement• High Mobility• Low Educational Level of Parents
Most prominent contributing factors:
• Low Expectations for poor and minority students. Not all children learn in the same way and at the same pace.
• A passive learning process – kids today are active, not passive.
• A lack of involvement by parents, outside groups and agencies.
“Ineffective” School Discipline Systemsalso places students At-
Risk.If dropouts and suspensions are
up in 9th grades then better teachers should be at this level.
Check out Schargel’s Best In-School Suspension Programs
Additional At-Risk Factors
• Lack of Adequate Counseling 1 counselor to 450 students preferred
Columbine had 3 counselors for 1800 now they have 18
• Negative School Climate• Retentions/Suspensions
What can we do?
• Engage Students • “The best teacher is the
one who teaches the least.”
• Don’t change the lesson, just improve it by changing the way we teach.
• Students who do the teaching are motivated.
Are we overlooking something?
• Close your eyes—identify a typical drop-out
• Most dropouts by number are Caucasian because most students are Caucasian.
• Many come from stable families• Have passing grades• Never been pregnant or a parent• 17% drop-out in their senior year • with fewer than 9 months left of school• 65% of this group say they were “bored”
Causes are diverse….so strategies need to be diverse ….
• Yet, “most of the funding for “Drop-Out” Prevention is under Title 1, which funds programs for low-income students – as if there aren’t any middle – or high-income students at risk!”
F.Schargel on “No Child Left Behind”
We MUST….
Connect the “World of Work” to the High School
Technical Schools identify strengths of At-Risk learners
Lastly …. Stopping Dropping-Out starts with “ALL of us”
• Dropping-Out is a Process
• It begins in elementary school and culminates when a student “can” drop-out
• Build Relationships w/Students
• Have High Expectations for all students
