| The schools in the United States are
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| | come to school but do nothing while they
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| considered to be "in crisis" due to the
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| | are there, and
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| soaring student dropout rate. In his
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| | • Forced-Out Dropouts - students who
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| first State of the Union Address,
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| | were "counseled out" by school counselors
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| President George W. Bush stated that the
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| | and administrators.
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| national dropout rate was 25 percent.
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| | Phoenix Schools are addressing all three
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| A recent study conducted by the Center
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| | types of dropouts. Their initiatives are
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| for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern
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| | focused on engaging the students, rather
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| University puts the current national
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| | than excluding them. They know that
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| dropout rate at 25 to 30 percent.
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| | programs alone will not change the
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| Additionally, it indicated that males
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| | dropout rate. Only people and
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| have the highest dropout rate of 20 to 30
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| | relationships can make a difference.
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| percent and are most likely "at risk" of
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| | Phoenix schools work with businesses,
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| not graduating from high school with a
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| | community organizations and others to
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| diploma.
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| | identify and develop effective strategies
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| It is said that when a student drops out
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| | for keeping students in school. They are
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| of school, he/she drops into the criminal
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| | working to improve student academic
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| justice system. In 2002, the U.S.
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| | success, believing that the high school
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| incarcerated its two millionth person. Of
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| | renewal initiatives are directly linked
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| those in prison at the time, 82 percent
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| | to a decreased dropout rate. Phoenix
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| were high school dropouts.
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| | schools are focusing on fixing the
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| Dropouts cost our economy billions of
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| | system, not the student.
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| dollars each year, and not just from the
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| | Every student in the state of Arizona
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| cost of incarceration. They are an
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| | must now pass three tests in order to
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| undereducated work force that retards our
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| | graduate high school. The tests measure
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| economic and social development.
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| | the students' knowledge against required
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| Businesses cannot depend upon a large
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| | state standards. Phoenix schools are
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| portion of graduating students to fill
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| | focusing on the students who do not meet
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| much-needed jobs, which translates to
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| | the state required standards. They are
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| lost government tax revenues. State
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| | tackling their needs by:
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| governments lose money through welfare
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| | • Addressing the students' skill gaps
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| payments, unemployment and crime
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| | through a state-funded tutoring program,
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| prevention programs. Governments, from
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| | • Providing the students with their
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| the president to the local level, have
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| | own tutorial guides, customized to their
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| discovered that if they do not pay for
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| | individual needs, and
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| programs to decrease the dropout rate
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| | • Using state-funded tutors, who are
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| now, they will pay much more in the
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| | qualified to help the students learn the
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| future.
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| | required skills in order to achieve a
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| According to the study, the dropout rates
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| | passing score on the standardized tests.
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| vary dramatically by location and racial
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| | Phoenix schools are committed to reducing
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| ethnic background. The state of Arizona
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| | the dropout rate in their schools. Though
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| was cited in the study as one of the five
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| | it is a lengthy and ever changing
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| states with the lowest graduation rate
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| | process, they know the importance of
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| for 18 year olds. Thus, Phoenix Schools,
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| | their task. Phoenix schools know they
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| along with the Arizona State
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| | have an obligation to the students and
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| Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom
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| | their parents, as well as the businesses
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| Horne, have made dropout prevention a top
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| | and community to improve their dropout
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| priority.
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| | rates. More skilled and
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| There are three types of dropouts:
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| | diploma-graduated students mean
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| • Dropouts - students who stop coming
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| | better-prepared adults and a better
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| to school,
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| | Phoenix.
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| • Drop-In Dropouts - students who
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