The 9th-Grade Experience

The ninth grade is the grade when the greatest majority of students start to fall behind and eventually drop out of school. This chapter looks at some of the reasons for this crisis in education and provides suggestions and best practices to address this issue and help more students successfully transition out of the 9th grade.

100% Attendance

This chapter describes how an effective attendance program must be at the forefront of any school’s program if it is to survive as a school, and what the components of an effective attendance program is. It goes back to the first chapter and lists various interventions for each of the six categories of reasons why students drop out of school.

Team Structures

This chapter provides an explanation of the various team structures used to improve student attendance and to address student needs and provide necessary supports to prevent students from dropping out. Many best practices and tips are offered to help make these teams successful.

Introduction

This chapter includes the reasons that students drop out of school, a proposed job description for the social worker working as a dropout prevention specialist (DPS), thoughts on going into the school and developing working relationships with staff and students, an explanation of school data and finances and how to use them, and the importance of persevering on behalf of students.

Conclusion

I sincerely hope that the material presented in these pages will assist you, as a dropout prevention specialist, to be a catalyst in your school and/or district, in identifying those students, either individually or in groups, who are at risk for dropping out of school. By helping to craft and implement opportunities, services, and supports to address the issues and needs identified in the student body, you are helping tremendously to lower the potential for more students dropping out....

Case Management

This chapter defines the practice of “case management” as an empowerment model of practice. It defines the steps of the case management process, the core principles of the case management practice, and the qualifications required by case managers.

Communication, Coordination, and Collaboration

This chapter describes the continuum of people and agencies working together toward true collaboration in order to bring about more successful programs and services. The components of a “collaborative personality” are also discussed.

Handling Misbehavior

This chapter looks at how punitive disciplinary practices contribute to students dropping out and how positive relationships, rules, and consequences that are fairly, consistently, and equitably enforced have a positive effect on keeping students in school.

School Climate and Culture and Its Relationship to Dropout Prevention

This chapter describes how a positive school climate can contribute to students bonding with and staying in the school. It also describes how a negative or “toxic” school climate can contribute to the dropout problem. The chapter looks at the important role of teacher(s) and how they contribute to students staying in or leaving school prior to graduation. The chapter also looks at school climate as a “therapeutic intervention.”

Building Comprehensive Dropout Prevention and Recovery/Re-Entry Programs

This chapter looks at effective strategies and programs that have proved successful in addressing and preventing students dropping out of school. It cites the findings of the What Works Clearinghouse with regard to various programs and whether they were found to show evidence of effectiveness.