Dropout prevention: mystery or mastery? (Model Continuation High Schools).

I get phone calls almost daily from parents, students, schools, government agencies or the news media about dropout prevention, recovery and retention. Callers want to know how many dropouts there are and what is being done to prevent kids from dropping out. Depending on the background of the caller, these calls can get pretty long. They're great opportunities to raise awareness of the challenges and successes we face in alternative education.

I usually start by demystifying the reasons that students drop out. I explain that any child can become "at-risk" depending on the circumstances of their lives. I describe how the system fails the student rather than the student failing the system. We talk about the critical role of families and the community.

I give an overview of all alternative programs, including opportunity education, continuation education, independent study, juvenile court and community schools, community day schools, alternative schools, adult education and other educational options. We discuss how these alternatives should be coordinated district-wide, based on early assessment, intervention, referral, follow-up evaluation and continuous program improvement.

By this time the caller understands that in theory, dropout prevention is not mysterious, The strategies are based on common sense, adequate resources, district support and enlightened concern for the well-being of all students. In reality, implementing and sustaining a district-wide dropout prevention system is challenging. Adequate resources and district support are often the missing components of an effective dropout prevention system.

However, many examples of excellent dropout prevention programs exist. I give the caller a list of model continuation high schools in their area and invite them to visit. I almost always end the phone call by referring the caller to other resources, especially the California Continuation Education Association Web site (www.cceanet.org), the single best site for all things related to continuation education.

After callers visit a model school, they call me back astonished at what they've seen. They report how wonderful the school and students are. They are amazed that such effective and compassionate education is taking place right in their community. It seems miraculous that the school has mastered all of the components of dropout prevention.

I recently received such a call about All so High School in Reseda, Los Angeles County. All so High School was selected as a model continuation high school last year, its second designation. The news reporter who visited All so could not praise Principal Jay Kessler, his staff and students enough.

The following student quote from All so reflects what I observed during my site visit there last year: "Student success is, in a way, a gift of appreciation for the hard work and dedication of the staff. The great feeling of pride in one's accomplishments opens my eyes to a new life hidden by a false thought that education isn't important. All so has given me the desire in my heart and mind to find my purpose and reach personal excellence"

During my site visit to All so, another student said to me about his teacher, "Mr. Trapani is so great. How could I not do my best work for hi m?"

There are many reasons that kids drop out of school. Model continuation high schools such as All so demonstrate every day why kids stay.

Dennis Fisher is a program consultant, Educational Options Office, for the California Department of Education.