Graduation: Beginning with the End in Mind
“1.2 million students drop out of school every year. These students will cost taxpayers roughly $292,000 each, as they’re more likely to need community assistance.” -Communities In Schools 2016 National Impact Report
Keeping students in school and on track for graduation is serious business. Researchers Katherine Larson and Russell Rumberger have found that for students who are struggling and at risk of dropping out “interventions must be intensive, comprehensive, coordinated, and sustained. Anything less is naïve and will sow only marginal results.”
With your support, Communities In Schools of Kalamazoo surrounds students in 20 Kalamazoo Public Schools with whatever it takes so they can start strong and keep moving forward. In Kalamazoo Public Schools, things are moving in the right direction. The four-year district-wide graduation rate for 2015 was 71%. It was 69% in 2014 and 65% in 2013. For the four years ending in 2015, the dropout rate was 12.7%, the lowest rate since 2008. We still have work to do and with your continued support, CIS will overcome the barriers that derail kids, giving them hope and the belief they can succeed in school, graduate and be prepared for life.
So as we embark on a new school year, let’s take to heart the words of Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and “begin with the end in mind.”
Read more in our latest issue of CIS Connections here. If you are not signed up to receive our newsletter, you can do so on our contact page.
Read more in our in our newsletter, CIS Connections: Graduation, Beginning with the End in Mind.
Twelve 5th graders celebrate their Arcadia Elementary School graduation in CIS-style. They wore CIS sashes and caps, and received certificates for their successful involvement in CIS. They also received a CIS bag with school supplies to use during the summer as well as the book, The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Middle School by David Borgenicht, Ben Winters, and Robin Epstein. The book has some great tips for helping with the transition to middle school, such as how to survive the first day as well as navigating homework overload and handling bullies and cliques.
Tags: CIS Connections, Newsletter
