Superintendent Renews the Dropout Challenge

SUPERINTENDENT'S DROPOUT CHALLENGE

REACHING OUT . . . BEFORE THEY DROP OUT

The high school graduation rate is a barometer of the health of American society and the skill level of its future workforce. However, research shows -- a students' circumstances do not dictate success -- educational experiences do.

Today, one out of every four Michigan students fail to graduate from public high school with his or her freshman class. Students who drop out of school lack the tools to compete in today's global economy and diminish their chances for greater success in the future. Dropouts are more likely than high school graduates to: be unemployed, live in poverty, spend time in jail, have poor health, be single parents of children who drop out of high school.

TURNING THE TIDE

n Michigan, we know that our future economic well-being depends on all students graduating high school and being prepared for success in college and the workplace. Research shows most students send distress signals years before they drop out of school. In fact, key early warning signs displayed by students nearing or entering transitional school years, such as 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th grades, have proven to be strong dropout predictors.

MICHIGAN'S CHALLENGE TO SCHOOLS

During the summer of 2009, I issued a challenge to all Michigan schools to identify 10-15 students in all elementary, middle and high schools who are nearing or in a transition year with multiple dropout risk factors and provide research-based supports and interventions. As a result, over 1,100 schools including all schools in 142 districts accepted this Challenge.
Initial reports indicate this Challenge, and the professional development offered to districts who are part of this Challenge, are having an impact on roughly 20,000 students.

CALL TO ACTION

While having nearly 1/3 of all schools sign up for the Challenge is impressive, ALL SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS WOULD BENEFIT FROM ACCEPTING THIS CHALLENGE. Therefore, I am issuing a new CALL TO ACTION.

I invite all school buildings and districts which were part of Challenge last year to renew there commitment and if possible increase the number of students identified and supported through this Challenge. I also call on ALL remaining schools to join the challenge for the 2010-2011 school year by OCTOBER 29, 2010. This will allow all buildings and districts to be placed on the Michigan Department of Education's Dropout Challenge list of schools and receive recognition for their efforts. To sign up, click this link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y98F77D. Challenge participants will be posted by November 5, 2010. For more information contact Jan Ellis in my office at (517) 373-9391.

Mike Flanagan
Superintendent of Public Instruction