April 4, 2014

PROMISING DEVELOPMENTS IN DROPOUT RE-ENGAGEMENT

Andrew O. Moore, Senior Fellow

Institute for Youth, Education, and Families

National League of CitiesSupported by the C.S. Mott Foundation

and the Annie E. Casey Foundation

Responses to dropout rates

Address chronic absence as key precondition Early warning systems & interventions

Middle school and 9th grade

Ongoing high school reform Engagement, dual enrollment strategies

Expansion of accelerated / on track options and other alternative settings

Recovery and re-engagement

Dropout ReengagementSpreading Across U.S.

Working Definition: Reengagement Center/Program

Staffed portal Operates at the citywide

or school district level Provides one-stop

outreach, assessment, referral, re-enrollment, and continued support services

Restores educationally disconnected youth and young adults to best fit options to complete credentials

Policy Platforms

School district Intermediary / NGO City government Community college Combinations of above

School district, community college per-pupil funding

Foundation Workforce development Federal HSGI grants State government – two

states Child welfare In kind: VISTAs

Management Role Funding Sources

Range of Approaches

Physical “one stop” center

Deployed staffing model

NGO contracts with school districts

Center co-located with alternative school

Re-engagement Ecosystem

Re-engagement

portal – virtual or physical

Social support services

Physical, behavioral

health services

Alternative schools, adult

education

Training programs leading to

postsecondary credential

Washington StateOpen Doors Youth Reengagement

Combines dropout outreach and assessment functions with alternative education at one site

Began with three pilots; 19 additional programs GRAVITY High School - Regional school district,

consortium model iGRAD - partnership between Kent School District

and Green River Community College – shopping mall

Expanded Gateway to College program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology

Online “Drop In” Campaigns: Now in Denver, Boulder, & Aurora, Colorado

Measuring effectiveness andimpact: common indicators

Credits earned once re-enrolled

Stick rate/ persistence (first year completion)

Graduation / GED completion

Initial contact/engagement

Race, ethnicity, gender Child welfare system

involvement

Results Process / Demographics

Aggregating Results:

Reengagement in 13 U.S. Cities,School Years 2012-2013

Initial outreach: 41,000

Referral to re-enrollment opportunity: 10,000

Confirmed re-enrollments: 6,000

“Stick rate” / persistence: 73%