Here’s a Chronicle story about a state-wide effort to encourage at-risk students, beginning in the sixth grade, to stay in school and plan for graduation and then college:
For the first time, Houston students and others across the state considered at risk of dropping out will get such help, starting in sixth grade.
Graduation plans typically help students track what courses they need to graduate and outline the steps needed to get into college.
“They’re not too young to begin thinking of their college and career plans,” said Elsik High School counselor Trula Samuel of the Alief Independent School District.
The move is part of an ongoing statewide effort to reduce the dropout rate in Texas, which reaches 40 percent in some districts, including the Houston Independent School District.
This seems like a good first step, but the story doesn’t make clear if the advocacy program involves counseling only, or if it also includes in-class tutoring. If the program is strictly counseling, it will probably not have the success these schools are looking for. Students need to be prepared academically, or they will struggle in the college prep classes needed to get into college, and then in college itself. Getting students into college can’t be enough; the students need to be able to hold their own, and even excel, in college coursework. An example of a program that targets kids who need extra help, through counseling AND academic support, is AVID. The AVID program is in use in schools across the country, with proven success.
And here’s a story, from today’s Chronicle, about a program HISD is implementing to keep students from dropping out:
Houston school officials will spend $435,000 to hire 10 dropout-prevention specialists as part of an ongoing push to keep students in school.
In approving the plan Thursday, Houston Independent School District trustees said they want the money to make a difference in a district where as many as 30 percent to 40 percent of all students drop out.
“We’re all interested on the impact we make with this investment,” said board member Kevin Hoffman.
The specialists will help students solve problems keeping them from attending school, whether it’s finding day care or setting up a schedule that lets them maintain a job.
“Children drop out for many reasons,” said interim Superintendent Abe Saavedra, “and if we want to keep them in school we need to offer them just as many reasons to stay in school as they have to drop out.”
The decision to hire 10 staff members comes two days after HISD officials applauded efforts at Sharpstown High School to keep its students in school and better prepare them for college.
