Knowing which students are at greatest risk for dropping out and which schools most exacerbate the problem is the first step to reducing dropout rates, states a 2006 report funded by the Carnegie Corporation. This report,
Identifying Potential Dropouts: Key Lessons for Building an Early Warning Data System is part of a joint project of
Achieve and
Jobs for the Future.
According to the report, solving the dropout problem has become more important than ever before, due to the rapidly changing American economy and a new commitment on the part of state leaders to raise graduation standards. Past efforts have not provided at-risk students with effective interventions or accurately targeted the right students who needed help.
The report’s recommendations include the following:
- Policy makers should heed the most current research, avoid mistakes of the past, and invest sufficiently in up-front research and development dollars. If they do this, they can build data systems to identify at-risk students.
- District administrators should intervene in schools that contribute to the dropout problem, changing them from institutions that push students out, into challenging and supportive environments that keep teenagers in school and on track for graduation.
About the Report:Title: Identifying Potential Dropouts: Key Lessons for Building an Early Warning Data SystemPrepared by: Achieve and Jobs for the Future
Date Published: June 2006