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Dropouts:
21 Things Districts
Can Do
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Make school dropouts a
district wide concern, and focus on changing institutions rather than
changing individuals.
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Intervene early. The timing
of interventions is critical, i.e., in preschool and middle school.
Continuity of effort must be maintained.
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Set and communicate high
expectations.
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Select and train teachers who
are interested in working with at-risk students.
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Recognize that there is no
one solution to this problem; risk factors are interrelated. Provide a
broad range of instructional programs to accommodate students with
different needs.
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Provide a package of services
within each community. Work with families, churches and other community
organizations to develop a collaborative program for dropout prevention.
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Encourage and support
programs that motivate parents to participate at all levels of their
children's education.
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Establish strong permanent
alternatives as part of a comprehensive strategy of dropout prevention.
Alternative schools should be high-status organizations, receiving
resources commensurate with the tasks they undertake and the success
they demonstrate.
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Develop and implement a
collection system for data on dropouts, and use it to identify groups at
risk, set policy and fund programs at the national level.
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Train staff in methods for
identifying at-risk youth.
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Focus on a team approach for
working with at-risk youth.
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Develop model programs with
parents, teachers, business, government, and community participation.
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Educate children to meet the
changing demands of a technological society, not just to get a job in
today's market.
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Provide curriculum that is
process oriented as well as content oriented.
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Strengthen model programs for
disadvantaged youth by providing a summer component.
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Conduct broad-based needs
assessment and planning efforts that include parents, students,
businesses, and social agencies working with youth and community
organizations, as well as teachers and school administrators.
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Provide dropout prevention
activities for all levels, K-12, with an emphasis on early intervention.
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Review and revise as
necessary organizational variables, policies and procedures affecting
the school's ability to meet the needs of high-risk youth. This should
include review of student-teacher ratios, discipline policies and
procedures, absenteeism, truancy, suspension, failing grades, and
retention policies.
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Expand networking as the
capacity to create linkages across groups. The dropout problem is a
community, business, economic and social problem.
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Select staff based not only
on subject area competency, but also on the ability and desire to
provide a respectful caring environment that responds to the needs of
the whole child.
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Build into the program
ongoing staff development as well as evaluation and feedback.
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