The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network Leading
Graduation Rate Improvement In Your School & Community Dr.
Sandy Addis Interim Director 864-656-0957 [email protected] Slide
2 The National Dropout Prevention Center National Organization at
Clemson University Services to states and schools Research
Resources - Training Conferences Technical Assistance 28 Years of
Dropout Prevention Service Slide 3 Resources and Services of The
National Dropout Prevention Center www.dropoutprevention.org
Network membership, materials and discounts Conferences and events
(San Antonio, October, 2015) National Dropout Prevention Specialist
Certification Publications, guides, and web broadcasts Consultation
and technical assistance Reviews and evaluations Training,
speakers, workshops Graduation Rate Planning Support 3 Slide 4 4 As
a Dropout Prevention Spokesperson, You Help Determine: Local
understanding of the issue. Level of educator and community focus
on the issue. Selection and funding of local strategies. Local
policies relative to at-risk issues. Slide 5 Slide 6 6 Slide 7
Slide 8 8 Steps for Leading Graduation Rate Improvement Address the
data Highlight the cost Develop understanding of the problem
Highlight the causes Focus on solutions Slide 9 U.S. Graduation
Rates (1990-2012) NOTE: Average Freshman Graduation Rates. Graph
retrieved 1/23/15 from
http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_coi.asp Slide 10 Types of
Dropout and Graduation Rates According to NCES, its indicators of
school dropout and school completion include the following: Event
dropout rate Status dropout rate Status completion rate Averaged
freshman graduation rate (Non-regulatory cohort rate) 10 (National
Center for Education Statistics, 2010. Trends in High School
Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 1972-2008) Slide
11 Regulatory Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate 11 Slide 12
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of
Data (CCD) and NCES Provisional Data Reports. Slide 13 82% Slide 14
National Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate (AFGR) for Public High
School Students, by Race/Ethnicity: School Year 2011-12 14 Source:
U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education
Statistics, Common Core of Data (CCD), "NCES Common Core of Data
State Dropout and Graduation Rate Data File," School Year 201112,
Preliminary Version 1a. See CCD table at
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/tables/AFGR0812.asp Slide 15 The Diploma
Award Gap in Texas Native American AsianHispanicBlackWhiteOther
2012-13 % Total Enrollment 0.43%3.62%51.34%12.74%29.98%1.90% 2010 %
Diplomas Awarded 0.52%3.73%43.07%13.35%39.32% Slide 16 16 Economics
of High School Dropouts Earn less Pay less in taxes Rely more on
public health More involved in criminal justice system More likely
to use welfare services (Rotermund, California Dropout Research
Project, Statistical Brief 5, September 2007) Slide 17 17
Unemployment Rate by Educational Attainment 2012 Doctoral
degree...................... 2.5% Professional
degree............... 2.1% Masters degree..................... 3.5%
Bachelors degree..................4.5% Associates
degree.................6.2% Some
college.........................7.7% High school
degree.................8.3% Less than high school............ 12.4%
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2013,
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm )
http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm Slide 18 Workers per Social
Security Beneficiary 1970 3.7 1990 3.4 Currently 2.9 2030 2:1 ratio
Mercatus Center George Mason University Slide 19 19 If Georgia Had
a 90% Graduation Rate in 2012, There Would Be: $457 Million annual
earnings increase in Georgia $342 Million annual spending increase
in Georgia $824 Million increased home sales in Georgia $45 Million
increased auto sales in Georgia 3,850 new jobs added in Georgia $71
Million annual increase in federal tax revenue in Georgia $42
Million annual increase in state and local tax revenue Alliance for
Excellence in Education, 2013 Slide 20 20 If Myrtle Beach Had a 90%
Graduation Rate in 2012, There Would Be: $8.4 Million annual
earnings increase in Myrtle Beach $6.4 Million annual spending
increase in Myrtle Beach $15 Million increased home sales in Myrtle
Beach $1 Million increased auto sales in Myrtle Beach 60 new jobs
added in Myrtle Beach $1.3 Million annual increase in federal tax
revenue in Myrtle Beach $700,000 annual increase in local tax
revenue in Myrtle Beach Alliance for Excellence in Education, 2013
Slide 21 http://impact.all4ed.org Slide 22 22 Drop Out of School
Stay in School 22 Slide 23 National Dropout Prevention
Center/Network PATHWAY TO DROPPING OUT Dropping out of school is
the result of a long process of disengagement that may begin even
before a child enters school. Slide 24 Dropout Risk Factors Dropout
Risk Factors and Exemplary Programs: A Technical Report by C.
Hammond, J. Smink, and S. Drew, NDPC and D. Linton, Communities In
Schools, Inc. May 2007 Slide 25 Research Domain Factors Individual
Family School Community 25 Slide 26 I - Individual Domain Risk
Factors 1.High-risk demographic characteristics 2.Early adult
responsibilities 3.High-risk attitudes, values, and behaviors
4.Poor school performance 5.Disengaged from school 6.Education
stability Slide 27 II Family Domain Risk Factors 7. Background
characteristics 8. Level of household stress 9. Family dynamics 10.
Attitudes, values, and beliefs about education 11. Behavior related
to education Slide 28 III School Domain Risk Factors 12. School
structure 13. School resources 14. Student body characteristics 15.
Student body performance 16. School environment 17. Academic
policies and procedures 18. Supervision and discipline
policies/practices Slide 29 IV Community Domain Risk Factors 19.
Location and type of community 20. Demographic characteristics of
community 21. Environment of community Slide 30 30 Reasons for
Dropping Out of School Students who considered dropping out of high
school gave these reasons for considering this option: I didnt like
the school..73% I didnt like the teachers .61% I didnt see value in
the work I was being asked to do..60% I had family issues ..42% I
needed to work for money 35% I was picked on or bullied 28% No
adults in the school cared about me...24% The work was too easy19%
(Yazzie-Mintz, Voices of Students on Engagement: A Report on the
2006 High School Survey of Student Engagement) Slide 31 What
Students Say Top Five Reasons Reported by Students for Leaving
School 1980 Didnt like school (33%) Poor grades (33%) Chose to work
(19%) Getting married (18%) Couldnt get along with teachers (15%)
Slide 32 What Students Say Top Five Reasons Reported by Students
for Leaving School 19801988 Didnt like school (33%)Didnt like
school (51%) Poor grades (33%)Were failing school (44%) Chose to
work (19%)Couldnt get along with teachers (34%) Getting married
(18%)Couldnt keep up with school work (31%) Couldnt get along with
teachers (15%) Feel like they dont belong at school (25%) Slide 33
What Students Say Top Five Reasons Reported by Students for Leaving
School 198019882005 Didnt like school (33%)Didnt like school
(51%)Classes were not interesting (47%) Poor grades (33%)Were
failing school (44%)Missed too many days and could not catch up
(43%) Chose to work (19%)Couldnt get along with teachers (34%)
Spent time with people not interested in school (42%) Getting
married (18%)Couldnt keep up with school work (31%) Too much
freedom and not enough rules in my life (38%) Couldnt get along
with teachers (15%) Feel like they dont belong at school (25%) Was
failing in school (35%) Slide 34 % Graduated in Four Years Days
Absent Per Semester Course cutting counted as partial days (The
Consortium on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago,
2007) 34 Slide 35 % Graduated in Four Years Average Freshman Grades
Rounded to the nearest 0.5 (The Consortium on Chicago School
Research at the University of Chicago) 35 Slide 36 IV What Can
Leaders Do? Slide 37 Effective Dropout Prevention Involves
Coordinated Effort Student Family Community School Slide 38 Efforts
to improve educational outcomes in these schools, attempting to
drive change through test-based accountability, are thus unlikely
to succeed unless accompanied by policies to address the out of
school factors that negatively affect large numbers of our nations
students. (Berliner, 2009, Poverty and Potential: Out of School
Factors and School Success) Slide 39 Slide 40 Slide 41 Slide 42
What Role Does the Board Play? Is the Board well informed about
dropout prevention efforts of the schools? Are there policies that
contribute to dropping out? Do discipline policies and practices
allow continued enrollment and academic success whenever possible?
Are at-risk-related metrics such as attendance, discipline, and
graduation rates considered in employee evaluation and rewards?
Does the Board encourage staff to learn more about dropout
prevention? Slide 43 Consider Graduation Rate Impact When Dealing
With Big Issues Retention Attendance Grades Slide 44 Board
Graduation Rate Considerations Boards establish the point at which
we cut students off from school. Boards set the guidelines for rule
implementation. Boards define how professional educators make
decisions for wounded and traumatized students. Boards must balance
popular perception against best interests of individual students.
Boards determine the utilization of alternative discipline options.
Slide 45 What Is the Impact of Leadership? Are leaders aware of
graduation rates? Do leaders know their most at-risk students? How
do leaders interact with at-risk youth? Do leaders model positive
behaviors toward at- risk youth? Do leaders want troublesome
students to remain enrolled? Do leaders establish physical and
emotional safety of all students? Slide 46 What is the School
Climate? Does the school feel safe and inviting? Do students and
parents feel good about their school? How are parent participation
rates at school events? Do parents, teachers, and leaders
communicate often? Is there an ongoing focus on graduation as an
end goal? Slide 47 How Does Instruction Impact Graduation Rates?
Are all courses interesting to students? Do students see relevance
in instruction? Are students active rather than passive learners?
Is technology used to make instruction interesting? Are
instructional methods and speeds varied for different students? Are
numerous career pathways and career-related courses offered? Slide
48 How Do Teachers Prevent Dropouts? Are teachers trained in
at-risk factors and dropout prevention strategies? Do teachers make
students feel valued and welcome? Are all students personally known
by teachers? Do teachers initiate positive communications with
parents and students? Do early-grade teachers own the dropout
problem? Slide 49 Administrator Resources and Actions Access
resources at www.dropoutprevention.org Provide staff and
stakeholders with resources and materials Train staff in dropout
prevention strategies Network with and learn from others Inform the
stakeholders and decision makers in your school, district, and
community 49 Slide 50
