New Study Shows that Dropping Out of School is the Result of Multiple Factors Over Time and Identifies Key Programs to Help Kids Stay In School and Prepare for Life
Communities In Schools, Inc., and the National Center for Dropout Prevention Release Dropout Risk Factors and Exemplary Programs
Alexandria, VA - A new study of the best research on dropout prevention shows that just as dropping out of school is often the result of a variety of factors that can begin even before kindergarten, there are a number of solutions and programs available across grade levels that can address students’ needs and give them the tools and support they need to stay in school.
Dropout Risk Factors and Exemplary Programs, was sponsored by Communities In Schools, Inc. (CIS), the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization, and conducted with the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) at Clemson University. The study found that dropping out of school can be linked to a variety of risk factors in four areas: Individual, Family, School, and Community. Individual and Family factors were the focus of the report.
“The key to addressing the dropout crisis is identifying students who are at risk and getting them the support they need to stay in school and succeed,” said Dan Cardinali, president of CIS. “While no single risk factor can be used to accurately predict who is at risk of dropping out, this study shows that our chances of finding these students in time, and getting them the help they need, increases when multiple factors are considered.”
The report shows that these factors - which include learning disabilities, early/unplanned parenthood, family disruption, and low family contact with school – are often part of a process that can build over time. Of the 25 significant factors in the two areas examined in the report, roughly 60 percent were Individual with the remaining 40 percent being Family factors.
The impact of factors identified in the study can be especially damaging to less advantaged students.
“Children of low socioeconomic status are particularly at risk, and if you add low achievement, poor attendance, and being too old for the grade, the risk increases dramatically and the student will not likely graduate,” said Jay Smink, executive director of the NDPC. “You can take those four factors to the bank.”
In addition to the factors that place students at risk of dropping out, the study also identifies many programs - including family counseling, education, and others - that are effectively addressing those factors.
“At CIS, our mission is to connect students to evidence-based programs and services that will help them stay in school, learn, and prepare for life. The initial research in this study identified 50 of these types of programs that CIS affiliates can incorporate into their existing offerings,” Cardinali said.
To read the entire Dropout Risk Factors and Exemplary Programs study, visit the CIS (www.CISNet.org) and NDPC (www.DropoutPrevention.org) web sites.
The study was completed by Cathy Hammond, research associate for the NDPC/Network, with contributions from Smink, Dan Linton, director of research and evaluation for CIS, and Sam Drew of the NDPC/Network. Of the forty-four studies that met stringent criteria in dropout prevention research, 21 were further analyzed to identify significant risk factors. After identifying risk factors, programs were researched that addressed those factors.
About Communities In Schools
Communities In Schools is the nation’s largest dropout prevention organization, working in more than 3,200 K-12 public schools. Founded in 1977, Communities In Schools is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Today, nearly one million young people every year receive direct services through more than 200 Communities In Schools local affiliates in 27 states and the District of Columbia. Between 80-90 percent of our tracked students show improvement in academic achievement, attendance, behavior and promotion to the next grade level.
About the National Dropout Prevention Center
The National Dropout Prevention Center/Network, established at Clemson University in 1986, is a national resource for sharing solutions for student success through its clearinghouse function, active research projects, publications, and professional development activities.
Contact: Debbie Veney Robinson, CIS National Office, 703-518-2545, RobinsonD@CISNet.org or Peter Wilson, CIS National Office, 703-518-2565, WilsonP@CISNet.org