Reducing Dropout Rates

So tonight I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be a community college or a four-year school, vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It's not just quitting on yourself; it's quitting on your country. And this country needs and values the talents of every American.

--President Barack Obama

This from Ed Week:

“Grad Nation: A Guidebook to

Help Communities Tackle the Dropout Crisis”

One of the first steps for anyone wanting to reduce the dropout rate in a community may be to convince others that a dropout problem exists, according to a guide released this month.

The publication, “Grad Nation," lists some statistics that may help demonstrate the seriousness of the problem. It notes, for example, that nearly a third of public high school students don’t graduate with their class, and that in 2,000 high schools, 40 percent of freshmen typically drop out by their senior year...