• Nearly half of dropouts surveyed for The Silent Epidemic  said the main reason they left school was because classes were not interesting.
• Nearly 70 percent said they were not motivated to work hard and two-thirds would have worked harder if more were demanded of them.
• Approximately one-third left for personal reasons (to get a job, become a parent, or care for a family member) and one-third cited "failing in school" as a major factor.
• 70 percent were confident they could have graduated, including a majority with low GPAs.
• More than 80 percent said their chances of staying in school would have increased if classes were more interesting and provided opportunities for real-world learning.
• The majority said that higher expectations from teachers and parents and improved supervision in the classroom would have helped keep them in school.
• Parental involvement is also a critical factor, with students whose parents were only "somewhat" involved or "not very" involved in their schooling more likely to drop out. Many of these parents only became involved when they realized their child was in danger of dropping out and by then, of course, it was usually too late.

The 10-Point Plan

More than 100 organizations that represent a full range of educator and community stakeholders with disparate political stripes support these 10 action steps to reduce dropouts.

1. Support Accurate Graduation and Dropout Data: Schools and communities cannot adequately address the dropout problem without an accurate account of it. The National Governors Association established a 50-state compact to ensure a common definition for high school graduation rates. These rates, and the data systems that will allow states to collect and publish graduation and dropout rates, should be made available at the district and school levels and the data should be disaggregated by racial and ethnic subgroups. States and school districts should set benchmarks for raising graduation rates and should monitor progress toward such goals.
2. "Establish Early Warning Systems to Support Struggling Students: Research shows that you can predict with 66% accuracy a student in elementary school who will go on to drop out from high school. Because dropping out of school is a slow process of disengagement for most students, we have an opportunity to identify and address early indicators that signal the need for more support for students to stay in school. High schools need to develop early warning systems to help them identify students who are in need of extra academic or other supports and to have strong partnerships with elementary and middle schools to ensure students stay on track.
3. Provide Adult Advocates and Student Supports: Students need adult advocates who can help identify academic and personal challenges early and get students the support they need. Schools need to connect to communities in ways that offer a wide range of supplemental services and intensive assistance strategies for struggling students—attendance monitoring, school and peer counseling, mentoring, tutoring, double class periods, internships, service learning, summer school programs, after school programs, and more—with strong adult advocates who can help identify academic and personal crises early and get students the support they need from schools and communities.
4. Support Parent Engagement and Individualized Graduation Plans: Research shows that parents' engagement in their children's school lives results in multiple benefits to the students, such as improved school attendance, educational performance, classroom behavior, and emotional well-being. Parental involvement also provides benefits to schools, such as more parental support for the mission of their children's school, a better understanding among parents of their roles, and more overall support for schools among parents. Schools and parents need to strengthen their interactionsaround student performance. Schools should also develop an individualized graduation plan for each student, have the expectation that students will graduate ready for college and the workforce and regularly communicate with parents about progress towards completing such a plan.
5. Establish a Rigorous College and Work Preparatory Curriculum for High School Graduation: Students taking a rigorous core curriculum in high school are better prepared to succeed in college and in the workforce than students taking less challenging coursework. States and schools need to have high standards for all students and tie high school graduation requirements to the expectations of colleges and employers.
6. Provide Supportive Options for Struggling Students to Meet Rigorous Expectations: Student learning needs and styles differ widely; in response, states and districts should develop support options that allow all students to graduate from high school prepared for college and the workplace. These choices may include 9th grade academies that support entering freshmen, second chance schools where student dropouts can continue earning course credit, and other entirely new school models that combine personalized learning environments with high expectations. Schools should establish safe school environments, expand choices for students to make school more relevant to their lives and goals, and promptly address their special needs to keep them on track for graduating.
7. Raise Compulsory School Age Requirements under State Laws: Most states passed their compulsory school age requirements in the late 19th or early 20th century when the country had a very different economy, permitting students to leave school at 16 or 17 to enter the workforce. Over the last decade, many states have raised their compulsory school age from 16 to 18, recognizing that a high school education is the minimum required to compete in today's global economy. Research supports the relationship between raising the compulsory school age and reducing the dropout rate.
8. Expand College Level Learning Opportunities in High School: Dual enrollment, early college programs, and Advanced Placement (AP) programs allow high school students to earn credit toward high school and college simultaneously. States and school districts should expand access to these programs.
9. Focus the Research and Disseminate Best Practices: The Government Accountability Office noted that while states and school districts have implemented numerous interventions designed to increase high school graduation rates, there has been too little focus at the national level to evaluate and disseminate existing research and best practices. Clearinghouses of well-evaluated best practices should be established to assist states and schools.
10. Make Increasing High School Graduation and College and Workforce Readiness a National Priority: Local, state and federal policymakers, educators and students should be brought together with experts and innovators through national and state summits, regional and local conferences and public forums in schools and communities to discuss the incidence of, causes of and solutions to the dropout epidemic. All avenues to invest leaders in a better understanding of the problem and common solutions should be undertaken to focus national attention on the dropout epidemic.

How You Can Help

• The solution begins with knowing your school district's true, on-time graduation rate. Because inaccurate graduation rates have historically masked the magnitude of the problem, this new knowledge is a wake-up call for many communities.
• Accurate accounts of students who dropout and students who successfully complete the coursework requirements are helping communities to marshal concrete steps that can be taken at the local, state and federal levels to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and work.
• Learn about the 10-point plan released at the May 9th national "Summit on America's Silent Epidemic." More than 100 organizations that represent a full range of educator and community stakeholders with disparate political stripes support these 10 action steps to reduce dropouts.
• Be a mentor or adult advocate for a student or students in your area
• Encourage the local business community or your employer to create internships, service learning opportunities and/or summer jobs programs for high school students in your community
• If you own a business, offer an internship or summer job opportunity for a local student. Emphasize the importance of staying in school to prepare for success in college, work and life.
• Advocate for local, state and federal policies that support students' staying in school to prepare for success in college, work and life.
• Offer a work-study program through your own business or current employer.
• Stay connected to your own child's academic career. Encourage a love of learning but demand accountability and set high standards.
• If you are a high school dropout, speak out to other at-risk students about the difficulties you face and your regrets about your decision to drop out
• If you have dropped out, seek to re-enroll in a high school equivalency or GED

For Parents

As a parent, your role is to encourage your child's natural curiosity about life, nurture his or her particular skills and talents, and help channel these into his or her educational pursuits. Demonstrating the value of education by modeling good habits to your children—helping with homework, getting everyone ready for school on time, and communicating with teachers—are good ways to begin. Check in with your child each day to ensure you know what he or she is working on, what homework is due, and what projects are required for each class. Keep the lines of communication open so your child knows he or she can always come to you, or another important adult, when problems (academic or personal) arise. Don't judge or blame, but do not excuse poor academic performance or bad behavior.

Remember that dropping out is not usually a sudden act, but a slow process of disengagement over time for most kids. There are a number of signs to look for that could signal trouble—indicators your child may be struggling with school or beginning to disengage from the school environment for one reason or another. Warning signs include:

• Low grades
• Discipline or behavior problems
• Lack of involvement in school activities
• Pregnancy

Some kids also struggle during times of transition, so keep an eye out during particularly stressful milestones including:

• Being held back a grade
• Transferring to another school
• Moving from middle or junior high to high school

Remember that a pattern of absences from school are the biggest predictor of dropping out, so make sure your child knows truancy will not be tolerated from you or from the school administration. Follow up with your child's school to be sure you understand their policies and procedures around unexcused absences, and if you suspect your child may be skipping school, get involved to put an end to the behavior as soon as possible.

Staying connected to your child by working closely with his or her administrators and teachers, keeping abreast of schoolwork, and perhaps volunteering at school events or in the community will keep problems from spiraling out of control and may significantly reduce the chances that your child will become another dropout statistic.

For Parents: A Call to Action

• The solution begins with knowing your school district's true, on-time graduation rate. Because inaccurate graduation rates have historically masked the magnitude of the problem, this new knowledge is a wake-up call for many communities.
• Accurate accounts of students who dropout and students who successfully complete the coursework requirements are helping communities to marshal concrete steps that can be taken at the local, state and federal levels to ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and work.
• Learn about the 10-point plan released at the May 9th national "Summit on America's Silent Epidemic." More than 100 organizations that represent a full range of educator and community stakeholders with disparate political stripes support these 10 action steps to reduce dropouts.
• Be involved in children's education. Support them by recognizing hard work and improvement as much as achievement and good grades, and help them to learn the importance of time management and good study skills.
• Be an advocate. Ask your school system about graduation rates. Push for a curriculum that is rigorous and relevant, preparing every child for college or post-secondary training for the world of work. Make sure there are enough places and meaningful activities in your community for every child's out-of-school time.
• Help young people see the practical value of education. Be a classroom volunteer lecturer to bring your business expertise to youth. If you have a business or workplace that will allow it, offer apprenticeship or internship opportunities. Encourage youth to explore their personal strengths, interests and hobbies, and how they can be used in different career fields.
• Join the Strong American Schools campaign to galvanize the public to demand change and real leadership on education.

For Educators

As educators, you represent the backbone of our national educational system and are on the front lines in reversing this alarming high school dropout epidemic. Your role is to prepare students for college or the workforce and equip them with the tools they need to succeed in life. You will serve as the catalysts for change in this new era as we attempt to address the reasons why so many students leave school without a diploma and unprepared to face the world. The realities of schools, where in some districts nearly 75 percent of students attend schools where graduating is less than a 60 percent proposition, make this task more challenging but no less critical.

Students who have dropped out consistently say they believe classroom instruction should more closely mirror real-life experiences and needs to be more relevant to the world at large. Internships, service learning projects, and other real-world learning opportunities are just a sampling of the kinds of programs that might more effectively engage at-risk students. Smaller class sizes, more individualized attention, and one on one teaching can also improve outcomes for these students. Basic discipline, increased supervision and school safety efforts can help as well. And sometimes, just giving a student a pat on the back or praise for a job well done can go a long way toward keeping he or she connected to the school environment.

Schools also need to identify adult advocates who can link up with at-risk students and help guide them throughout their academic careers, and need to remain committed to keeping the lines of communication open between parents and faculty. Parental involvement is often the key to maintaining student engagement.

As educators, you have the opportunity to affect real, meaningful change in the lives of many at-risk students. We know you are committed to reversing this alarming dropout trend and we welcome your input as we convene a national dialogue on this critical issue.

For Policymakers

To address the systemic problems driving the school dropout epidemic, policymakers, thought leaders, and politicians can push for structural reforms at the school, district, state, and federal levels.

At the School Level

It is clear the traditional "one size fits all" model of schooling is outdated and ineffective. Local communities need to:

• Offer multiple paths to and through high school and into college or work for students at risk of dropping out. These pathways include alternative schools with individualized educational plans, theme-based schools for the arts and sciences, small learning environments with more one on one instruction and interdisciplinary teaming of teachers and students.
• Partner with innovators in school reform that are demonstrating success in boosting student achievement, and high school graduation and college-going rates. For example, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has invested more than $1.7 billion to support new models in more than 1,800 schools in communities across the country, These models include:
  • Communities In Schools (CIS), operates a national network of non-traditional high schools that serves students who have either dropped out or are at-risk of dropping out and helps them graduate ready for college and work success.
  • The Early College High School Initiative operates 160 schools across the nation that recruit traditionally low-performing students, many below grade level, to attend high schools that require enrollment in college courses. In the inaugural class, more than 95 percent of entering ninth graders have graduated with a high school diploma, and more than 80 percent have been accepted into a four-year college.
  • In New York City, graduation rates increased to 79 percent in the first set of high schools that replaced high schools that had graduation rates ranging from 31 to 51 percent. These new schools promote more academic rigor, provide greater access to advanced courses, support students through the transition to high school, and increase course relevance to students' personal experiences and career aspirations
  • Several other high performing school networks, such as Cristo Rey, Green Dot, the Met and KIPP Academies, are expanding and raising graduation and college-going rates in cities across the country.
• Reach out more effectively to parents to ensure they are focused on their child's progress, with individualized graduation plans tailored to each student. Simple absentee lists and phone calls to parents when students are truant can also help foster a commitment to schooling while simultaneously alerting school administrators to students at-risk of dropping out.
• Create adult advocacy programs, particularly in large districts, that help identify students at risk of falling behind or being derailed by personal problems.
• Advocate for accurate graduation rate data that provides better information about where students need the most support to stay in school. Shelbyville, Indiana leaders admitted they had been ignoring a serious dropout problem: reporting a graduation rate of 90 percent, when the accurate number was closer to 75 percent. The courage and honesty of their story was the basis for a TIME Magazine Cover story. Shelbyville has since put in place strong reforms, including an alternative school, a credit recovery program, an adult advocacy/parent engagement initiative, and efforts to engage corporations in providing internships, work-study and service learning programs.
• Host or join local summits to end America's Silent Dropout Epidemic. America's Promise will host summits in Houston, TX on July 14-15, 2007 and Nashville, TN on July 31-August 1, 2007 in which community leaders across the nation will receive training on how to confront the dropout crisis and to convene local dropout summits. In conjunction with this effort, Mayors across America will be sent graduation rate reports for their cities and towns and challenged to host dropout summits to increase high school graduation rates and improve college and workforce readiness among their student population.

At the Policy Level

Local, state and federal policy actions can keep youth in school and re-engage those who have dropped out.

• Provide students with multiple pathways to graduation via traditional public schools, magnet schools, charter schools, private schools, virtual schools, and alternative education programs that provide students another chance for academic success.

• "The government would reap $45 billion in extra tax revenues and reduced costs in public health, crime, and welfare payments if the number of high school dropouts among 20-year olds in the U.S. today, which numbers more than 700,000 individuals, were cut in half."

  —Ending The Silent Epidemic (PDF)

  Make high school more relevant through dual enrollment, career and technical education, and other programs that create meaningful links between high school, postsecondary education, and the workforce.
• Develop early warning systems will help states to focus their academic and social service interventions on students who are at risk of failure or dropping out. Accurately collecting other data such as graduation rates help states hold districts, schools, and teachers accountable for performance and inform policymakers of where progress is being made and where additional efforts or resources are needed.
• Set benchmarks for raising graduation rates, and implement systems to track the progress of every student over time. For additional information, visit the Data Quality Campaign and read "Calculation of High School Dropout Rates and Updates."
• Raise the minimum compulsory school age from 16 to 18 can be an important part of a comprehensive plan to increase graduation rates, as doing so sends a strong signal that a state takes its dropout problem seriously.
• Align high school graduation standards with college entrance requirements and employer expectations to ensure that curricula are rigorous and relevant and that students are successful in life after graduation. For more information on the connection between high school graduation requirements and college and workplace expectations, visit Achieve's Web site.
• Support new high school graduation policies announced by the U.S. Department of Education that are consistent with recommendations in The Silent Epidemic that respond to the crisis by:
  • Providing better tracking of student progress to identify those who need the most support, and asking schools to report graduation rate data by racial and ethnic subgroups at the district level in 2007-8 and at the school level by 2012;
  • Encouraging incentives to improve both academic performance and graduation rates;
  • Creating the U.S. Department of Education's Dropout Prevention database for the "What Works Clearinghouse" to examine secondary school and community-based interventions designed to help students stay in school;
  • Requesting a doubling of support in the FY 2008 budget for statewide data systems up to $49 million a year; and
  • Engaging high schools and colleges in an effort to improve standards for high school coursework so that students are better prepared to succeed in college.

These policy solutions represent the first phase of what we hope will be an energetic and robust examination of our national approach to identifying and reconnecting the vulnerable students at risk of falling through the cracks of our current educational system. We believe the current dropout trends must be reversed in order to keep our nation competitive in the 21st century global economy, and in order to provide opportunities to as many young people in our nation as possible. We know with your help we can make real progress, and we welcome your thoughts as we begin a national dialogue on this critical issue.