[AAACE-NLA] More work for adult educators?

[tsticht@znet.com]

Colleagues: Following is a 12-step plan from the NEA to combat high school
dropout. Notice how many of the steps depend upon well-educated parents for
their implementation. Then notice that the NEA plan does not call for more
recognition of, professional development for, and funding for adult
literacy educators nor for the Adult Education and Literacy System (AELS)
of the United States, the third leg of our three-legged stool for education
(pre-K-12 is leg # 1, adult ed leg #2, higher ed leg #3). You may recall
that at one time adult literacy education was a part of the NEA.
Google NEA high school dropouts for more information.

Tom Sticht


NEA:National Education Association

Great Public Schools for Every Child


Nation's Educators Sound the Alarm on School Dropout Crisis

NEA's Plan for Reducing the School Dropout Rate

 



Visit  NEA's Dropout Prevention section for more information on this
critical issue.

NEA and its 3.2 million members believe every child in America should attend
a great public school. It is a basic right of every American. The mission of
NEA is to unite our members and the nation to fulfill the promise of public
education that prepares every student to succeed in a global society.

We also believe that providing great public schools for every child is the
shared responsibility of NEA and its 3.2 million members/educators, as well
as parents, families, communities, businesses, and government at the
national, state, and local levels.

NEA has developed 12 action steps to address the nation's school dropout
crisis. While there are many ways to address this problem, NEA has chosen
steps that are the most promising based on a wide range of experience and
data.

NEA's 12 Dropout Action Steps:

1.
Mandate high school graduation or equivalency as compulsory for everyone
below the age of 21. Just as we established compulsory attendance to the
age of 16 or 17 in the beginning of the 20th century, it is appropriate and
critical to eradicate the idea of "dropping out" before achieving a
diploma.  To compete in the 21st century, all of our citizens, at minimum,
need a high school education. [note the age range and reference to
equivalency, as in GED]



2.
Establish high school graduation centers for students 19-21 years old to
provide specialized instruction and counseling to all students in this
older age group who would be more effectively addressed in classes apart
from younger students. [note age range]



3.
Make sure students receive individual attention in safe schools, in smaller
learning communities within large schools, in small classes (18 or fewer
students), and in programs during the summer, weekends, and before and
after school that provide tutoring and build on what students learn during
the school day.



4.
Expand students' graduation options through creative partnerships with
community colleges in career and technical fields and with alternative
schools so that students have another way to earn a high school diploma.
For students who are incarcerated, tie their release to high school
graduation at the end of their sentences. [note alternative way to earn a
high school diploma, is this in adult ed?]



5.
Increase career education and workforce readiness programs in schools so
that students see the connection between school and careers after
graduation. To ensure that students have the skills they need for these
careers, integrate 21st century skills into the curriculum and provide all
students with access to 21st century technology.[note integrate 21st
century skills into the curriculum, ie. Functional Context Education in the
schools]



6.
Act early so students do not drop out with high-quality, universal preschool
and full-day kindergarten; strong elementary programs that ensure students
are doing grade-level work when they enter middle school; and middle school
programs that address causes of dropping out that appear in these grades and
ensure that students have access to algebra, science, and other courses that
serve as the foundation for success in high school and beyond.



7.
Involve families in students' learning at school and at home in new and
creative ways so that all families-single-parent families, families in
poverty, and families in minority communities-can support their children's
academic achievement, help their children engage in healthy behaviors, and
stay actively involved in their children's education from preschool through
high school graduation. [note families involved in their children's
education, see my From Parents to Progeny call for a multiple life cycles
education policy which focuses on the intergenerational transfer of
motivation, cognitive skills, language and literacy]



8.
Monitor students' academic progress in school through a variety of measures
during the school year that provide a full picture of students' learning
and help teachers make sure students do not fall behind academically.



9.
Monitor, accurately report, and work to reduce dropout rates by gathering
accurate data for key student groups (such as racial, ethnic, and
economic), establishing benchmarks in each state for eliminating dropouts,
and adopting the standardized reporting method developed by the National
Governors Association.



10.
Involve the entire community in dropout prevention through family-friendly
policies that provide release time for employees to attend parent-teacher
conferences; work schedules for high school students that enable them to
attend classes on time and be ready to learn; "adopt a school" programs
that encourage volunteerism and community-led projects in school; and
community-based, real-world learning experiences for students.



11.
Make sure educators have the training and resources they need to prevent
students from dropping out including professional development focused on
the needs of diverse students and students who are at risk of dropping out;
up-to-date textbooks and materials, computers, and information technology;
and safe modern schools.[note; how teaching the multiple life cycles
education policy]



12.
Make high school graduation a federal priority by calling on Congress and
the president to invest $10 billion over the next 10 years to support
dropout prevention programs and states who make high school graduation
compulsory.[Note: how about a little money for the AELS?]



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