Research Proposal on "Implementation of Programs to Increase Graduation Rates in Rural Areas"

Research Proposal 10 pages (3517 words) Sources: 12 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

High School Drop Outs

The development of an educational system that fails to teach a significant portion of the student population, with the inclusion of many at risk demographics has resulted in a significant number of high school drop outs. Currently, standards increases have also been seen as a catalyst to drop out rate increases. Yet, there have been many interventions both formulated and even applied to attempt to reduce the number of drop outs, especially within high risk groups. The two highest risk groups are those in urban districts with limited resources and perceived limited opportunity and those in rural areas where limited resources and real possible lack of opportunities exist in the community. The work will first briefly discuss the problem of high school drop out rates and then more closely discuss programs that have been implemented specifically in rural high risk school populations to increase graduation rates.

Dropping out of school is not an impulsive action, but rather a cumulative process. Unsuccessful school experiences, such as academic failure, grade retention, absenteeism, behavior and discipline problems, and transfers from one school to another build on one another to eventually alienate the student from school (Martin et al., 2002). By identifying differences between high schools having high vs. low rates of dropout, this study suggests strategic actions that schools can take to engage students in their school and facilitate their success. (Christle, Jolivette & Michael, 2007, p. 325)

The significance of the problem is high, especially in a new competitive global market which will require individuals to have even greater levels of education and certifications to maintain employment in the present economy and to help the economy continue to be one of the best in the world. (Emanoil, 2000, p. 5)

The U.S. loses hundreds of billions of dollars each year when young people fail to graduate from high school, with costs reflected in lost productivity and tax revenues, as well as additional burdens to the health care, public assistance, and criminal justice systems. The nation faces reduced economic competitiveness in the near future, as well as diminished civic engagement among those most directly affected by inadequate education -- the growing proportion of the population that comes from low-income, minority backgrounds. ("High School Dropouts Cost," 2006, p. 6)

These statistics also do not address the fact that individuals who drop out of high school pay an emotional as well as economic toll, which grows annually as credentialing becomes more and more important in the workforce. This work is review of literature that will review ways in which some schools combat high school drop out rates in three basic areas. First the work will describe ways in the literature which prevent drop out, through recognition and then intervention, such as programs that emphasize opportunity awareness and exposure that both keep students interested in achieving in school and increase awareness of options associated with post-secondary education and vocational opportunities. Second the work will briefly discuss ways to help drop outs reenter school and third the plan will assess ways in which to assist drop outs in resolution with alternative graduation programs, such as GEDs. Both of the later programs are not supportive of primary retention but they do offer students alternatives to help reduce the long-term effect dropping out of school might have on them. There have been many research-based programs and projects that have focused on causes and interventions for drop outs, many of which have indicated a multi-causal process that details the reasons why an individual might drop out, in a manner that allows intervention (Christle, Jolivette & Michael, 2007, p. 325) (Suh, Suh & Houston, 2007, p. 196) (Kortering, Haring & Klockars, 1992, p. 442) Entire textbooks have also been written on this multi-faceted and urgent problem (Dorn, 1996, p. 52). This research will extend the work of others by addressing the problem from a triad of ways, from prevention to intervention.

Dorn has written a comprehensive textbook describing the history, from a sociological perspective as to the manner in which the institutions of education have been formed through failed policy to create a system that does not successfully teach students. The work describes the manner in which policies, administrations, schools and even the teachers themselves contribute to the problem of high drop out rates. The work highlights the waves of attention to different policies that have over the years contributed to decreases or increases in drop out rates and why such systems are failing students, even today. Dorn creates a strong case for the fact that statistical and social analysis in the U.S. education system frequently seeks to resolve the problems by oft renewing programs they already know not to have worked effectively and basically always providing too little too late. (Dorn, 1996, p. 128) Rural school districts can be notorious for this as limited resources and resource pools generate no new funding for research and development or even the adoption of model programs. In the education system these allocations are often ineffectively weighed by a cost benefit ratio that is challenging to say the least and inaccurate to say the worst. In other words change in education is often seen as a cost allocation and unknown or untested programs are not seen as indicative of real change while tested programs can be discounted for demographic or cost reasons alone.

Kortering, Haring & Klockars claim that the major failing of the system should be associated with the fact that it repeatedly overlooks even the most obvious learning disabilities and fails to intervene in time to allow the individual the opportunity to fully meet graduation requirements. In this case individuals then leave high school and are impaired economically for the entire rest of their lives. (Kortering, Haring & Klockars, 1992, p. 422) This is particularly challenging in rural areas of the country as the resources both during school and immediately after it are often challenged by local economic and community limitations. Schools and therefore educators might be limited in education and insight as to the extent to which any individual student is recognized as disabled even in the face of limited student populations. Rural schools might have only limited access to experts for evaluation and intervention and individual classroom teachers may be limited in their ability to recognize a problem, beyond assuming lack of interest on the part of the student. Massive social loss is supported by the national statistics that state the U.S. loses out on hundreds of billions of dollars a year simply because individuals drop out of school. ("High School Dropouts Cost," 2006, p. 6)

Suh, Suh & Houston identify a commonly held notion that low socioeconomic status is one of the biggest indicators that makes individuals at risk for dropping out of school. They go on to say that the SES indicator is effective because the situation of being in a poor and/or disadvantaged home frequently comes with a whole list of risk factors that include reduced parental involvement (associated with a need to work). Other factors associated with low SES families inability of the family to fully support itself requiring the student to drop out and work and also significant social and emotional stressors that add to the impetus to drop out or at the very least fall behind as a result of distraction and/or a feeling of helplessness. (Suh, Suh & Houston, 2007, p. 196) This sense of helplessness is then supported by limited community opportunity be they educational or vocational. In many urban areas programs that attempt to reduce drop out rates focus on civic opportunity as well as vocational training opportunities which show individuals the value of completing their education. Yet in rural areas these opportunities are often limited for the adult population, let alone the upcoming generation. Rural areas also often contain families with low SES, single parent headed households and/or those which have limited economic opportunity based on regional limitation in vocational choices and a low base of pay for the jobs that do exist. This by example or even by direct confrontation may create a limited desire in the individual student to excel as they see only limited opportunity to excel beyond school with or without educational attainment. Schools themselves are also challenged as this reality creates limited and low tax bases, which is the basis for school funding all over the country. Yet, even though most schools are funded by the regional tax base the costs of doing business as a school continue to rise. (Cook, 2009) Ultimately a rural student may be torn by their desire to be educated beyond high school and work a good job as doing so would likely mean leaving their community, removing support from the family. Students also see leaving and college as further taxing the families limited resources and fear that leaving for higher education may possibly result in the student never returning to his or her community of origin, due in large part to lack of vocational opportunity… READ MORE

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