Education Research Report

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A new report from NCES found that during the 2010-11 school year, 76 percent of public school districts reported using academic failure to a large extent to identify students at risk of dropping out of school. Dropout Prevention Services and Programs in Public School Districts: 2010–11, a First Look report from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) provides national data about how public school districts identify students at risk of dropping out, programs used specifically to address the needs of students at risk of dropping out of school, the use of mentors for at-risk students, and efforts to encourage dropouts to return to school.

Key findings include:

• Eighty-eight percent of districts with high school grades reported offering to students at risk of dropping credit recovery courses or programs, 72 percent reported offering smaller class size, 63percent early graduation options, and 55 percent self-paced courses for purposes other than credit recovery.

• Eighty-four percent of districts reported regularly providing information to the receiving schools about the unique needs of individual at-risk students when students transition to a school at a higher instructional level (e.g., from middle school to high school).

• Districts reported working with various entities to address the needs of students at risk of dropping out. Among those were child protective services (85 percent), community mental health agencies (73 percent), state or local government agencies that provide financial assistance to needy families (68 percent), churches or community organizations (54 percent), and health clinics or hospitals (50 percent).