CPB's Initiative for the Prevention of Dropping Out

Many states have joined this widely known initiative by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting called American Graduate. It is a media initiative designed to help local communities identify and implement solutions to the high school dropout crisis. More than 75 public radio and television stations in over 30 states have been used to help students stay on track towards high school graduation, college, and their future.

Some states that have collaborated with this initiative include:

• New York                                                
• Pennsylvania
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Texas
• Washington
• California                              
• Massachusetts  

The Cost of Dropping Out

Challenging Circumstances: The Dropout Epidemic

This half-hour documentary looks at challenges facing young people and explores why some students in Hampton Roads feel that dropping out of high school is their only option. The film points to why dropping out not only hurts students who don't graduate, but impacts the entire community.

Pictures on Dropping Out

This is from TIME Magazine's April 17, 2006 issue about  dropouts.

http://www.massappealnews.com/2010/07/18/high-expectations-is-this-a-problem/

http://youthvoices.net/discussion/high-school-dropouts

Possible Solutions to Investigate

Some ways the issue of dropping out could be solved:

• If a student does drop out, programs can be created to influence them to get some type of education.
• Annual programs and activities can be held to influence students to not drop out
• Parents, guardians, teachers, and guidance counselors can talk with students to make sure that everything is alright
• Schools can bring in someone who has actually dropped out of school and regrets their decision
• Cities can start a dropout recovery initiative in which students who have dropped out are looked for in order to re- enroll into school
• Informing the larger public about how serious the problem is in order to create a sense of urgency and creating a broad based support to address the problem

Possible Causes of Problem

There are many reasons why someone may dropout of school.

• Problems in school

• Problems at home

• Pregnant at a young age

• Participation in gangs

• Substance abuse

Social Problem

I will investigate and help solve the issue of dropping out.