Battling the high dropout rate

Some numbers for you today that focus on our high schoolers. According to the Mobile Area Education Foundation, 45 percent of high schoolers in Mobile County will not graduate.

In other words, about half of our kids will drop out of high school. That's a pretty big number.

Statistics show kids drop out of high school for any number of reasons:

• they're bored
• they need to earn money and have to get jobs
• they're not good at school
• they don't see the value of school
• they get into trouble

Once the teens leave school, it's often very difficult to come back.

Jeremiah Newell is with the Education Foundation. He works extensively with high schoolers who have dropped out.

He said getting kids to stay in school actually starts at a very young age.

"Strong pre-k programs are critical. Getting a good start is important. Ensuring that students are able to read on grade level by the third grade is also an important indicator. Making sure that students are passing their classes and behaving appropriately in middle school indicates that those young people will be able to graduate. And, then, when they get to high school, our high schools have to be relevant to our young people," Newell said.

80% BY 2020

The Education Foundation and Mobile County Public School System are working together to improve the graduation rate. Their goal is to get it up to 80 percent by 2020.

To do that, the schools are working on new programs. Teachers and staff are working with students starting at a very young age. The goal is to keep them in school, and engaged in learning.

The community can also make a difference by pushing the value of school, and by stressing the conduct and behavior expected at school.

As parents, we also need to play an active role. We need to help our students develop a love of learning.

Remember, the more involved we are, studies show the more successful our children are in school.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information on the Mobile Area Education Foundation and the plans and goals in the works to improve the drop-out rate, you can click here ( www.maef.net/MAEFHome/tabid/728/Default.aspx ).