Plan for Action

Sample Plan

Priority Need: Education—High School Dropout Rate

Problem:

The high school dropout rate in the city has reached a record high of 40 percent. An additional 10 percent of students who stay in school through the twelfth grade do not meet the state standards for high school graduation. They leave school without receiving a high school diploma, which limits their options for work or additional education. This makes the overall graduation rate in the city 50 percent. While the dropout rate is higher in some areas of the city, the highest graduation rate at any city public school is 82 percent.

Reasons for dropping out include:

  • Students go to work full time to contribute to family income.
  • Students get into trouble with the law and are incarcerated in a juvenile facility.
  • Female students who become pregnant rarely return to school after having children because they can’t get child care.
  • Students fall behind in studies by one or more years and are not making progress toward graduation, sometimes because their English is not proficient.

Summary of Assets:

  • Retired citizens in the city have started an ad hoc tutoring program for students. They are reaching students through community centers in some neighborhoods.
  • Boys and Girls Clubs conduct after-school programs that offer homework assistance in addition to recreational programs. However, the homework assistance is underutilized.
  • The Foster Grandparent Program is working in overcrowded primary schools to assist teachers with large numbers of students, some of who need more one-on-one assistance.
  • The local college has sororities and fraternities that are seeking service opportunities in the community, particularly those related to education.
  • All colleges in the community have work-study students. A percentage of the federal work-study budget pays for community service jobs. The goal of the community service activity is to instill in the student a sense of social responsibility and commitment to the community.
  • Federal TRIO programs such as Upward Bound and Talent Search are available in high schools that have the highest population of students who get free and reduced-price lunches; this coincides with the schools that have the highest dropout rates.
  • Pen or Pencil programs, run by local faith-based groups, provide tutoring toward a GED, mentoring, and re-entry assistance to youths in juvenile facilities.
  • The Department of Parks and Recreation has a number of facilities throughout the community. This department also offers summer education and enrichment programs.
  • XYZ Corp. has buildings all over the city with large cafeterias that are not utilized after lunch hours, which typically end at 2 p.m.

Defining Success

Vision:

All youths in Anywhere, Ill., will achieve positive outcomes, including completing a secondary education that will prepare them for additional education and the work world.

Goal(s):

  • Achieve a 100 percent high school graduation rate or completion with GED in the city by 2020 (in ten years). 
  • All pregnant and parenting teens will complete their secondary education.
  • Every youth will have a mentor who provides them with positive guidance.

Interim Indicators:

  • Increase the overall high school graduation rate in the city by 10 percent every two years:
    • 60 percent by 2012
    • 70 percent by 2014
    • 80 percent by 2016
    • 90 percent by 2018
    • 100 percent by 2020
    • Increase retention and graduation rate of pregnant and parenting teens by 5 percent each year and increase these teens’ participation in program designed for them.
    • Reduce the number of youths being incarcerated (in collaboration with the public safety action group), and ensure that 100 percent of those who are incarcerated continue to receive an education.

Action Steps:

Establish lunchtime tutoring programs in all middle and high schools and after-school tutoring programs in at least one middle and one high school in every community.  After-school programs will be open to any student with a current ID from any area middle or high school. The Board of Education and PTA have made commitments to creating these programs that will be staffed by volunteers.

Volunteer/Service Component:

  • Provide outreach to teachers/guidance counselors to identify students who are falling behind.
  • Provide tutoring to students during lunch breaks and after school.
  • Work with PTA to contact parents and keep them informed of students’ progress.

Provide free GED programs that target incarcerated youths and those who leave school because of economic or family problems. Make sure the programs are available at various times to accommodate youths who work or have children.

Volunteer/Service Component:

  • Provide outreach to communities to identify youths who are out of school. Let youths know about GED program options.
  • College student volunteers will develop a marketing campaign to reach out-of-school students.
  • Faith-based volunteers will launch a mentoring outreach campaign to recruit volunteers who can mentor incarcerated youths.

Establish programs for pregnant and parenting teens that provides additional support systems, such as parenting classes and child care.

Volunteer/Service Component:

  • Provide outreach to schools and communities to identify pregnant and parenting teens to make them aware of available programs.
  • Utilize volunteers--under the guidance of trained child care providers--to support the child care component.
  • Utilize seniors who volunteer to provide tutoring, mentoring, and friendship to pregnant and parenting teens.

Establish a year-round academic achievers program for students with high, mid-range, and low grades to work together outside of school. Project will include tutoring, college preparation information, volunteer service, service-learning, and sports.

Volunteer/Service Component:

  • Utilize parks and recreation and XYZ Corp.’s facilities for the program.
  • Conduct outreach to parent groups, feeding programs, and local businesses to provide snacks for the program.
  • Recruit XYZ employees, civil service employees, and other local professionals as guest speakers to discuss various careers.
  • TRIO program staff will volunteer their time to teach a college preparation class and train college volunteers to teach the class also.
  • College work-study students will organize service-learning activities in collaboration with schools and nonprofits; they will also organize sports activities in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Recreation.
  • Volunteers will organize service opportunities for students, parents, and other family members to serve their community.

Measurements

Track the following data and changes annually:

  • High school graduation and GED completion rate for targeted students
  • Students participating in all programs (lunch-time tutoring, after school, academic achievement, tutoring, college prep, service-learning, and sports). What were their grades before and after participating in programs? Use a brief survey to get students’ opinions about what other support services they need.
  • Student standardized test scores
  • Number of students making academic progress to the next grade after program implementation compared with before.
  • The number of youths in the targeted age range who complete and receive GEDs
  • The number of teens who register with the programs for pregnant and parenting teens, utilize child care, and are making progress toward a high school diploma.