Obama Aims to Lower U.S. School Dropout Rates

 Seven thousand high school and middle school students throughout the nation dropped out today. Seven thousand more will do so tomorrow and the day after that, as with every school day, to eventually total 1.2 million dropouts by end of the year. In the fall when the incoming high school freshmen come in for their first day, one of them will not make it to graduation day in 2014. But the consequences of this do not just hurt the students themselves. Due to the fractured lives of the unfortunate students after leaving, the U.S. will lose $319 billion in potential earnings.

The statistics are alarming but they are part of the persistent reality that faces the U.S. education system. The American people know there are numerous serious issues facing their education. Many are unsure of how and when to address them.

“It’s time for all of us, no matter what our backgrounds, to come together and solve this epidemic,” said President Obama yesterday. “Let us all make turning around our schools our collective responsibility as Americans.”

Fresh off the heels of an expanded and renewed focus on the nation’s historically black colleges and universities, the Obama Administration is also shining light on another important aspect of American education: the dropout rate. Speaking with former General Colin Powell and his wife Alma Powell, Obama addressed America’s Promise Alliance to unveil an ambitious $3.5 billion package to transform the United States’ low-performing schools. The package is also part of his budget for the 2011 fiscal year.

The Obama Administration’s program will focus on assisting states with struggling schools and prioritize high schools with graduation rates below 60 percent. One of the measures being pushed, for example, are School Turnaround Grants. These grants, at the cost of $900 million, will provide money to states and school districts if they follow one of four reform models. The models suggest to either replace the principal and half of the staff, close and reopen the school with a charter school operator, close the failing school and transfer students to a high-performing school, or develop teacher effectiveness and flexible support for students.

      Also included is a $100 million College Pathways Program to increase access to college credit and accelerated programs in high schools that need it the most. In addition, the program will support strategies to promote students to go to college and help them succeed along their way. Parts of the measures that have gotten some attention are dual enrollment programs which allow “early college high schools” to earn a high-school degree and an associate’s degree. Such programs may provide college-level courses and opportunities similar to Advanced Placement classes, which would offer post-secondary credit in school.

  Junior biology major Zainab Suara is pleased that the steps to reduce the dropout rate will provide a higher incentive for people to go to college. Suara also believes the job market would be much more competitive if the dropout rate was lowered. Yet, rather than see it as a negative, she welcomes it.

“It would help the economy, since more people are working and it would lower unemployment rate,” said Suara.

David Glover, a public school graduate and sophomore architecture major, is pleased with Obama’s attention on the issue.

  “I think it’s really cool,” said Glover. “I’m actually really glad to hear that he’s giving a lot of money to low-performing schools because part of the reason these schools are low-performing is just straight up resources”.

Glover recognizes that great teachers and a positive, successful learning environment are also very important, but suggests that a lack of adequate resources is the primary reason such action isn’t taken. He also mentioned a lack of funds may be a barrier to fresh and better teachers who may be reluctant to leave a nicer place to work to face more serious challenges albeit with less pay.  Ultimately, Glover says Obama’s proposals “definitely need to happen.”