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High School Drop-Out Prevention - Madison County, NC

Page history last edited by Tasha Whitt 14 years, 10 months ago

 

Goal Statement


 

 

Scope of the Problem  


  • Madison High School is reporting one of the highest drop-out rates as of 2008.
  • The scope of the problem is best described by the percentage of drop-outs at Madison High School. During the 2005-6 school year the drop-out rate was 4.02%. During the 2006-7 school year the drop-out rate was 6.04%. During the 2007-8 school year the drop-out rate was 7.19% and so far if the trend continues for this year, 2008-9 school year there will be a drop-out rate of 9.6%.
  • Drop-outs are a loss for the school when looking at the financial aspect. Each student brings in $7,500.00 to the school system and for every 23 students that leave the school system the state allocation of a teacher is removed.
  • Drop-outs are not only a financial loss but also students that drop-out of high school are more likely to be involved with criminal affairs and are more prone to prison sentences.

 

 

Past Policy  key legislation and milestones including significant policy and funding shifts, major studies, etc.


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Current Policy 


               North Carolina State School Board's drop-out policy is intented to increase the number and range of services to students at risk. The purpose of the policy is to ensure that drop out prevention and services for students at risk are part of the educational program in every local education agency (LEA). The website lists the guidelines that the state has in place as a indicator of performance for drop out and at-risk services.

               North Carolina Public School Attendance policy requires that attendance is taken each day of the school year. The policy also states that a student must be present for at least half a day of the instructional school day in order to be counted as present. The policy states that LEAs should have a school calendar that consists of 180 days and 1000 hours of instruction.

 

 

Policy Options   


  • Alternative Learning Programs - examples of these programs would be an Alternative School, a Virtual classroom (online classes), Transition schools, Afternoon High School, and any other learning program that will assist at-risk students in gaining their high school diploma. Alternative learning programs may also address behavioral or emotional problems that interfere with adjustment to or benefiting from the regular education classroom, provide smaller classes and/or student/teacher ratios, provide instruction beyond regular school hours, provide flexible scheduling, and/or assist students in meeting graduation requirements other than course credits.

  •  Identify and Reach At-risk Students Sooner - When students are connected to an organization or a teacher or athletics then they will be less likely to be classified as an at-risk student and will be more likely to stay in school and get their diploma. By trying to find ways to connect students, especially at-risk students, to the community of the school then drop-out rates will be lower. I feel that it is very important to make a goal of connecting students to the school in some form or another. Get them interested and they will stay in school. Some possible organizations to help students stay connected are: FFA, DECA, ROTC, Athletics, and any other club or organization that can help students be connected and a part of their school.

  • Madison High School Policy - The first step would be to take a closer look at why students are leaving by conducting more focus groups with drop-out students. Next, consider acting on the students responses to what can improve and why they left the school. If the attendance policy is a problem, then consider revising it. If there are problems with the climate and learning environment of the school, then consider options to fix this. First there is a need for more responses as to why students have left and what can be fixed.

 

 

Key Organizations/Individuals   


  • Madison High School Drop-Out Students
  • Madison County Drop-Out Commitee
  • Dr. Ronald Wilcox - Madison County Schools Superintendent
  • Madison County School Board

 

 

Glossary of Terms


  • High School drop out rate: A drop-out is defined as a student that leaves for any reason before graduation without transferring to another secondary school. This is any student who is not accounted for on the 20th day of school. This excludes students who are expelled from school, missing school for a serious illness, or if they have left the country. A student is considered a drop-out, however, if they transfer from a secondary school to an institution of higher education such as a community college.

  • Student at risk: A student at risk is a young person who because of a wide range of individual, personal, financial, familial, social, behavioral or academic circumstances may experience school failure or other unwanted outcomes unless interventions occur to reduce the risk factors. Circumstances which often place students at risk may include, but are not limited to: not meeting state/local proficiency standards, grade retention; unidentified or inadequately addressed learning needs, alienation from school life; unchallenging curricula and/or instruction, tardiness and or poor school attendance; negative peer influence; unmanageable behavior; substance abuse and other health risk behaviors, abuse and neglect; inadequate parental/family and/or school support; and limited English proficiency.

  • Alternative Learning Programs: Alternative Learning Programs are defined as services for students at risk of truancy, academic failure, behavior problems, and/or dropping out of school. These services should be designed to better meet the needs of students who have not been successful in the regular public school setting.

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Bibliography


 

  1. Basics of Conducting Focus Groups. Ed. Carter McNamara. Jan. 2008. Free Management Library. 4 Feb. 2009 <http://managementhelp.org/evaluatn/focusgrp.htm>.
  2. Krueger, Richard A., and Mary Anne Casey. Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research. 3rd ed. London: Sage Publications Inc, 2000.
  3. Wilcox, Dr. Ronald, Superintendent of Madison County Schools. Personal Interview. 15 Jan. 2009.
  4. NC State Board Policy Manual Online http://sbepolicy.dpi.state.nc.us/

 

 

 

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