1.6: High School Completion

Increase the high school completion rate.

Other Information:

One of our nation’s greatest challenges is ensuring that every child graduates from high school with the academic preparation needed to succeed in college and the workplace. One million students drop out of school every year. Among ninth-graders, five out of 10 minority students fail to finish high school on time. Only 54 percent of students with disabilities leave school with a regular high school diploma. Overall, three out of 10 ninth-graders do not finish on time. The Department will support states’ efforts to improve data systems so that students who need help are identified early. To improve the skills of students who read below grade level and are at high risk of dropping out, the Department will support the development and implementation of research-based reading interventions, as well as improved content standards and aligned assessments. The Department will give students attending the neediest high schools greater support, as well as more high-quality alternatives for completing their education. Strategy 1. Help states and districts intervene early to get at-risk students back on track. The path toward dropping out of school is a long one that, for many teenagers, begins in elementary school. The Department will support the development and effective use of longitudinal data systems by states and districts to identify at-risk students early so that they can provide the support these youths need to stay on track for graduation. In addition, the Department will provide technical assistance to states toward the development of a schoolwide foundation of quality core instruction and a system of prevention and intervention called Response to Intervention and Early Intervening Services. This system includes high-quality supplemental supports, interventions or services or both, and continuous monitoring of student progress, resulting in accelerating the learning of students who are struggling. This system also ensures that students who are at risk for failure receive interventions early, thus preventing them from being identified later in their schooling as in need of special education services. Strategy 2. Improve the skills of adolescents who struggle with reading and mathematics. Students who enter high school with reading and mathematics skills that are significantly below grade level are at great risk of dropping out. The Department will continue to support the development and implementation of research-based interventions to equip these students with the literacy and mathematics skills they need to succeed in high school, college, and the workplace. To guide educators and policymakers in improving student mastery of algebra and readiness for higher-level mathematics in high school, the Department will disseminate the findings of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, which is examining the scientific evidence and identifying instructional practices, programs, and materials that are effective in improving mathematics learning. Strategy 3. Focus on the neediest schools. Nearly half of the nation’s dropouts are from 15 percent of high schools—most of them in high-poverty areas. The Department will work with Congress during the reauthorization of NCLB to target greater resources to high-need, high-poverty high schools. The Department also will work with states to strengthen their capacity to support districts in turning around low-performing high schools. Strategy 4. Increase learning options for students. At-risk students and dropouts are finding success in nontraditional high schools based on college campuses, virtual schools, and other innovative models that set high expectations for youths and give them the support they need to meet these expectations. The Department will continue to promote greater options and choice for high school students and their parents. Strategy 5. Assist states in achieving their Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) State Performance Plan (SPP) targets related to dropping out, completing school and post-school employment. The Department will collect data on students with disabilities as part of meeting IDEA’s SPP requirements. These data will include the percentage of youths with disabilities graduating from high school with a regular diploma, the percentage of youths with disabilities dropping out of high school, and the percentage of youths with disabilities who have been competitively employed, or enrolled in any postsecondary school, or both, within one year of leaving high school. The Department will provide technical assistance to states to improve their capacity for collecting accurate data. The Department also will provide technical assistance to states on evidence-based practices that assist states in meeting their SPP targets and that result in improving post-school outcomes for students with disabilities. The first three indicators in the table that follows relate to the high school completion rate of Americans aged 18 to 24. Improvement in this rate may lag for up to six years until the full measured population benefits from the initiatives described herein. The immigration of individuals in this age group to the United States also may affect progress on these measures. External Factors -- The Department’s implementation of some of these strategies requires amendments to the ESEA, as amended by NCLB, and sufficient annual appropriations. The Department will work with Congress to create the statutory authority and obtain the annual appropriations needed to implement these strategies. In addition, some factors that may contribute to a student’s decision to drop out are outside the direct control of schools. However, these strategies are designed to reduce their impact.

Stakeholder(s):

• High School Students

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

Content