1. Closing the Gap raising the bar Who is f a l
ling through the c r a c k s?

2. The good news...the high school drop out rate in the United States has been on a steady decline from 14% in 1980 to 11% in 2000 to 8% in 2008.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics

3. The not so good news... the graduation rate in the United States has started to decline for the past two years. This means that for every 10 high school students, 3 will drop out. This is 1.3 million students each year that do not graduate.
Source: Education Week, June 2, 2010

4. Minnesota Graduation & Drop Out Information
The bad news... the graduation rate for Caucasian students is 75%, however, it is only 50% for African American students. “The achievement gap in this state is one of the largest, if not the largest, in the country. That is not something anyone should take pride in.” ~ U.S. Secretary of Education A. Duncan comments on achievement gap in Minnesota.
Minnesota Graduation & Drop Out Information
Source: Education Week, June 2, 2010

5. U.S. Event Drop Out Rates - Oct. 2008
Characteristic
Drop Out Rate
# of Drop Outs
GENDER
Female
4.0
216,000
Male
3.1
174,000
ETHNICITY
Caucasian
2.3
156,000
Black/African American
6.4
106,000
Hispanic/Latino
5.3
101,000
Asian/Pacific Islander
17,000
FAMILY INCOME
Low
8.7
132,000
Middle
3.0
196,000
High
2.0
61,000
AGE
15-16
2.4
74,000 17
118,000 18
3.6 19
4.9
40,000
20-24
14.9
51,000
The event dropout rate estimates the percentage of high school students who left high school between the beginning of one school year and the beginning of the next without earning a high school diploma or an alternative credential (e.g., a GED).
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics

6. Dropping Out Bring Your A Game
Whatever It Takes.... Check out how some individuals are addressing the crisis of dropping out.
Dropping Out
Bring Your A Game

7. No significant learning can occur with a significant relationship.
~ James Comer