Human Services News

Jobs for the Future:

For much of the 20th century, rising high school graduation rates in an increasingly diverse U.S. society were a source of national pride.

With U.S. global competitiveness and the economic self-sufficiency of our citizens at stake, the dropout problem no longer can be ignored.

It is time for an aggressive national effort to pursue a new, dual agenda for high school reform---one that embraces high standards and high graduation rates.

Educators in urban districts ranging from New York City to Portland, OR, are designing research-based interventions for keeping students on track, especially in the first year of high school, and are developing new options and pathways to get dropouts back on track to high school graduation.

The mismatch of educational aspirations and attainment has serious consequences for young people, their families and communities, the states, and the nation.

Congress can play a vital role by passing the proposed Graduation Promise Act of 2007.

This Act would establish a federal commitment to partner with states, districts, and schools to raise graduation rates.

Congress is about to start the reauthorization process for NCLB, but the legislative process promises to be long and complex.

Moreover, it is unclear whether Congress will adequately address the complexity of secondary education and the full range of issues underlying low graduation and high dropout rates.

This will require a powerful and systemic effort to align policies, recalibrate accountability systems to include meaningful dropout and graduation measures, and develop an array of evidence-based strategies that schools and districts can employ to put policies into practice.