SchoolMatters NewsletterWednesday, May 13, 2009 8:03 AM During the next several weeks, high school students across the country will participate in one of life’s most important rites of passage – high school graduation. And while 95% of high school students say they want to attend college, only 60% of them actually end up graduating from high school according to BoostUp.org, a public service campaign from the Ad Council sponsored by the U.S. Army. To put it another way, approximately 7,000 high school students drop out every school day, which means we lose a high school student every 9 seconds.
The decision to drop out of school does not happen overnight; it comes after years of frustration and failure. Often, students who drop out have run out of motivation and have no source of support or encouragement in school or at home. The more parents are involved in their child’s education, the better a student will do. There are several warning signs that parents of high school students can watch for including if the student hates school, has trouble with school work, has few friends, and regularly skips classes. But it’s not too late…
The Basic Core Strategies 1. Mentoring/Tutoring: This may include one-to-one caring relationships with someone students can trust with personal problems or one-to-one academic support. 2. Service Learning: Connecting meaningful community service experiences with academic learning, this method promotes personal and social growth, career development, and civic responsibility and can be a powerful vehicle for effective school reform at all grade levels. 3. Alternative Schooling: Alternative schooling provides potential dropouts a variety of options that can lead to graduation, with programs paying special attention to the students’ individual social needs and the academic requirements for a high school diploma. 4. After-School Opportunities: Many schools provide after-school and summer enhancement programs that eliminate information loss and inspire interest in a variety of areas...
