15 Effective Strategies for Dropout Prevention

STRATEGIES THAT IMPACT THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATE

Since 1986, the National Drop out Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N) has conducted and analyzed research, sponsored extensive workshops, and collaborated with a variety of practitioners to further the mission of reducing America's dropout rate by meeting the needs of youth in at-risk situations, including students with disabilities.

Students report a variety of reasons for dropping out of school; therefore, the solutions are multidimensional. The NDPC/N has identified 15 Effective Strategies that have the most positive impact on the high school graduation rate. These strategies appear to be independent, but actually work well together and frequently overlap. Although they can be implemented as stand-alone programs (i.e. mentoring or family engagement projects), positive outcomes will result when school districts develop a program improvement plan that encompasses most or all of these strategies. These strategies have been successful in all school levels from K-12 and in rural, suburban or urban centers.

School and Community Perspective
* Systemic Renewal
* School-Community Collaboration
* Safe Learning Environments

Early Intervention
* Family Engagement
* Early Childhood Education
* Early Literacy Development

Basic Core Strategies
* Mentoring/Tutoring
* Service-Learning
* Alternative Schooling
* After-School Opportunities

Making the Most of Instruction
* Professional Development
* Active Learning
* Educational Technology
* Individualized Instruction
* Career and Technical Education (CTE)

This information is part of a handout provided at the 2008 National Dropout Prevention Conference. For more details about this research, contact:
National Dropout Prevention Center/Network
College of Health, Education and Human Development
Clemson University, 209 Martin Street, Clemson, SC 29631-1555
Telephone: 864.656.2599 email: ndpc@clemson.edu