| The schools in the United States are considered to be | | | | school but do nothing while they are there, and |
| "in crisis" due to the soaring student dropout rate. In his | | | | • Forced-Out Dropouts — students who were |
| first State of the Union Address, President George W. | | | | "counseled out" by school counselors and |
| Bush stated that the national dropout rate was 25 | | | | administrators. |
| percent. | | | | Phoenix Schools are addressing all three types of |
| A recent study conducted by the Center for Labor | | | | dropouts. Their initiatives are focused on engaging the |
| Market Studies at Northeastern University puts the | | | | students, rather than excluding them. They know that |
| current national dropout rate at 25 to 30 percent. | | | | programs alone will not change the dropout rate. Only |
| Additionally, it indicated that males have the highest | | | | people and relationships can make a difference. |
| dropout rate of 20 to 30 percent and are most likely | | | | Phoenix schools work with businesses, community |
| "at risk" of not graduating from high school with a | | | | organizations and others to identify and develop |
| diploma. | | | | effective strategies for keeping students in school. |
| It is said that when a student drops out of school, he | | | | They are working to improve student academic |
| she drops into the criminal justice system. In 2002, the | | | | success, believing that the high school renewal |
| U.S. incarcerated its two millionth person. Of those in | | | | initiatives are directly linked to a decreased dropout |
| prison at the time, 82 percent were high school | | | | rate. Phoenix schools are focusing on fixing the |
| dropouts. | | | | system, not the student. |
| Dropouts cost our economy billions of dollars each | | | | Every student in the state of Arizona must now pass |
| year, and not just from the cost of incarceration. They | | | | three tests in order to graduate high school. The tests |
| are an undereducated work force that retards our | | | | measure the students' knowledge against required |
| economic and social development. Businesses cannot | | | | state standards. Phoenix schools are focusing on the |
| depend upon a large portion of graduating students to | | | | students who do not meet the state required |
| fill much-needed jobs, which translates to lost | | | | standards. They are tackling their needs by: |
| government tax revenues. State governments lose | | | | • Addressing the students' skill gaps through a |
| money through welfare payments, unemployment and | | | | state-funded tutoring program, |
| crime prevention programs. Governments, from the | | | | • Providing the students with their own tutorial |
| president to the local level, have discovered that if they | | | | guides, customized to their individual needs, and |
| do not pay for programs to decrease the dropout rate | | | | • Using state-funded tutors, who are qualified to |
| now, they will pay much more in the future. | | | | help the students learn the required skills in order to |
| According to the study, the dropout rates vary | | | | achieve a passing score on the standardized tests. |
| dramatically by location and racial/ethnic background. | | | | Phoenix schools are committed to reducing the |
| The state of Arizona was cited in the study as one of | | | | dropout rate in their schools. Though it is a lengthy and |
| the five states with the lowest graduation rate for 18 | | | | ever changing process, they know the importance of |
| year olds. Thus, Phoenix Schools, along with the | | | | their task. Phoenix schools know they have an |
| Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom | | | | obligation to the students and their parents, as well as |
| Horne, have made dropout prevention a top priority. | | | | the businesses and community to improve their |
| There are three types of dropouts: | | | | dropout rates. More skilled and diploma-graduated |
| • Dropouts — students who stop coming to | | | | students mean better-prepared adults and a better |
| school, | | | | Phoenix. |
| • Drop-In Dropouts — students who come to | | | | |