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Dropout Intervention and Recovery. Brian Brinkerhoff October 24, 2008. Who is Considered a Drop Out?.
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Dropout Intervention and Recovery Brian Brinkerhoff October 24, 2008
Who is Considered a Drop Out? A freshman is withdrawn from a school because the parents object to the content of a particular required class. The parents decide to home school the youth, and after trying for 3 months, give up. The youth does not return to school.
Who is Considered a Drop Out? A sophomore was arrested for selling marijuana on probation. He went to a youth corrections facility and spent six months there. He was supposed to be working on his GED but never did. When he was released, he never went back to school.
Who is Considered a Drop Out? A junior, with a long history of truancy, learns that he will need to stay in school an extra year. After the new school year starts, he refuses to go to school. Frustrated, his mother takes him to the school, withdraws him, and says she will enroll him in a GED program, which she never does.
Who is Considered a Drop Out? A senior is injured in a car accident and goes to the hospital. After spending six months recovering, she is given some packets to begin catching up. She refuses to do them, finds them boring, and decides not to return to school.
Who is Not a Dropout? Someone who…. • “transfers to an educational program recognized by the district,” • “transfers to a GED program,” • “committed to an Institution that maintains educational programs,” • “or is so ill that he/she cannot participate in a homebound or special therapy program.” • Colorado Department of Education
Classes Not Interesting Not Motivated Lack of Positive Role Model Not Encouraged to do Better Needed to Work Became a Parent Lack of Support. Could not Keep up. Missed too Many Days. Not prepared. Repeated a Grade. Why do they Dropout?
What We do! • Dropout Intervention. • Dropout Recovery. • New School Creation. • School District Consultation and Research.
Dropout Intervention • Educational Intervention Specialist. • 9th Grade Algebra Program. • Volunteer Coordination. • Educational Case Management.
According to the study “Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts,” it is noted that: “Three-fourths (74 percent) said that if they were able to relive the experience they would have stayed in school, and 76 percent said they would definitely or probably re-enroll in a high school for people their age if they could.”
Dropout Recovery • Educational Outreach Specialist. • Directly find youth in the community. • Help with barriers. • Provide support and help connect to resources. • Positions in DPS and APS.
Dropout Recovery • Start with the Dropout List. • Segment the Dropout List into Zip Codes and Regions. • Assign an Educational Outreach Specialist to Each Zip Code or Region.
80226 80219 80232 80227 80223 80235 80236 80123 80110 80123
Dropout Recovery Next Step…. GET THE DATA!
SHOULD I GET MY DIPLOMA OR MY GED? Do you have your most recent transcripts? YES NO How many credits do you have? Call the last school. Ask for “records.” ? 0 - 60 61 - 121 121 - 180 181 +
How old are you? 21 16 17 18 20 19 You have to return to school! Find out what options are available, according to your age, and the amount of credits you have!
? 0 - 60 61 - 121 121 - 180 181 + MAYBE YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! 16 MAYBE YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! 17 MAYBE YES!!! YES!!! YES!!! MAYBE 18 Probably Not MAYBE MAYBE YES!!! YES!!! 19 Probably Not Probably Not MAYBE MAYBE YES!!! 20 Probably Not Probably Not Probably Not MAYBE 21 MAYBE
New School Creation • PS1 @ The Spot. • Pilot program combining dropout center and DPS charter school. • Academy of Urban Learning. • Unique charter school serving high risk and homeless youth. • West Career Academy. • A school within a school for older dropouts.
School District Consultation and Research. • Meet with school officials. • Help determine trends. • Identify areas of high dropout concentrations. • Transmit youth voice.
Challenges? • Where does education fit in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs? • Distrust of and Fatigue with school system. • Lack of Understanding of Special Education Options. • Assuming mental health expertise translates to cognitive/learning expertise.
What Works? • All students are valued. • One educator who advocates for youth. • Families are valued partners. • Schools must change and innovate. • Instruction in different learning styles. Montecel, M.R., Cortez, J.D., Cortez, A. (2004). Dropout prevention programs: Right intent, Wrong Focus, and Some Suggestions on where to go from here. Education and Urban Society. 36 (2), 169 – 188.
THANKS! Questions? Brian Brinkerhoff brian.brinkerhoff.cyc@comcast.net 303.888.3470