Newspaper Page Text
Survey Results: Who is to Blame for the Dropout
Problem?
Percentage
80 |
70
60
50
40 /
% % s
20 /
10 aa BE
e HH e
Sg i B
0 R Bl SRR
Parents Students Teachers Schools Community Government
themselves
Source: Campbell Communications Market Research Survey of
Three Selected Appalachian Communities.
Characteristi
Of Potential
Dropout Risk
_ (Editor’s Note: The following traits of dropouts or poten
tial dropouts were compiled by John Hayes, visiting teacher
for the Chattooga County School System, from ‘“The School
Attendaqce Handbook, " copyrighted by the William Gladden
Foundation, York, Pa. The authors are Dr. Waln K. Brown
and Charlotte K. Garman).
* * *
GENERAL TRAITS OF A DROPOUT
1. Has parents with little education.
2. Lives in family where education is not a priority.
3. Experiences a history of family problems.
4. Lives in family with severely limited finances and ““Ex
treme Poverty."
hlzi Has parent or parents who are overly dependent upon
child.
6. Gets little nurturing at home.
7. Has siblings who have dropped out.
8. Suffers from ill health.
9. Has acute physical problems.
10. Has an unusual interest in getting money quickly.
11. Has poor eating habits. ;
12. Has disrupted sleeping patterns.
13. Suffers from abuse or neglect.
14. Is pregnant or has a child.
15. Is a recent migrant.
16. Is the oldest child*in a very large or very poor family.
= R
SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL TRAITS OF A DROPOUT
1. Has a poor self image.
2. Lacks friends.
3. Has low aspirations.
4. Has emotional problems.
5. Has behavioral problems.
6. Gives up easily.
7. Is depressed.
8. Is insecure.
9. Lacks motivation.
10. Lacks social competency.
11. Is a frequent discipline problem.
12. Has drug or alcohol profilems.
13. Exhibits delinquent behaviors.
14. Is physically :fl)usive.
15. Is verbally abusive.
16. Is easily led into undesirable behaviors.
17. Is severely socially deprived.
o %
CHARACTERISTICS OF
POTENTIAL TRUANTS, DROPOUTS
Is a poor reader.
Has trouble with language.
Has poor study habits.
Regularly fails to turn in homework.
Consistently does not complete assignments.
Gets failing marks.
Repeats grades.
Feels education is a ‘‘waste of time."”
Is often absent.
Is present in body but not in mind.
Is uncomfortable around teachers.
Lacks respect for teachers.
Dislikes one or more teachers.
Feels teachers are insensitive to student needs or interests.
Is frequently given detention.
Has a history of suspension or expulsion.
Seldom or never participates in extra-curricular activities.
Acts rebellious or defiant.
Makes fun of the material being presented.
Tells lies regularly.
Has little regard for school property.
Doesn't listen.
Interrupts frequently.
Has a short attention span.
Copies the work of other students (cheats).
Frequently complains.
Has trouble following directions.
Is highly resentful of criticism.
¥ ¥ %
REASONS REPORTED BY PARENTS
WHY THEIR CHILDREN ARE DROPOUTS
Child did not like school.
Child was sick or injured.
Child was handicapped.
School would not readmit the child.
Child was needed at home.
Parents could not pay required fees.
Family lived too far from school.
Parents wanted to travel.
Parents disliked the school and withdrew the child.
Parents did not believe in the value of formal education.
Parents could not control the child, who did as he or she
pleased.
Parents needed the c*}]ild‘s* fina:cial help.
REASONS YOUNGSTERS SAY
THEY DROPPED OUT
Preferred work to school.
Needed money to buy things.
Had to help at home.
Was not interested in school work.
Could not learn and became discouraged.
Was failing a grade and did not want to repeat 15,
Was in ill health.
Disliked a certain teacher.
Had friends who left school.
Left school due to parents’ wishes.
“Could learn more out of school than in school.”
Could not make friends or get along with other students.
Developed a fatalistic view of life.
Did not get into desired program or classes.
Wanted to make own decisions.
Became pregnant.
Want to marry.
Was asked to leave.
Wanted to enlist in the military. :
Wanted to travel. ’
Unemployment Rates by Level of Education (Octo
ber 1984)
Percentage
30 — i —————
25 i :
o UL R
4?. T i o
1 Y
20 % G A
ey
o
” -LA g
SRR
10 Yool y
¢ ‘%“";” vk ,‘é,?
B 4,\,?, i i ik
» 5s i %
};:,z g
Shedd ’ij
kbbb BB
47 S R
Less than four High school
years of high school graduate
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office
of Employment and Unemployment Statistics.
Special Report
By . The News
What Can Be Done
About Chattooga
County’s Dropout Rate?
SAYS JOHN HAYES
Guidebook Lists
County Program
(Editor's Note: The follow
ing recommendations for set
ting up a county plan to pre
vent dropouts was compiled by
John Hayes, Chattooga Coun
ty visiting teacher, from “The
School Attendance Handbook ™
¢ oyiizhted by the William
Gladden Foundation. Its
authors are Dr. Waln K. Brown
and Charlotte G. Garman).
* * *
* Develop programs design
ed to identify potential truants
and drop-outs at an early age.
* Find ways to boost each
student's self image.
* Help each student to feel
an important part of the
school.
* Support and encourage
students with school related
difficulties, rather than ignore
or discourage them becuse they
pose groblems.
* Set achievement stan
dards for students with learn
ing difficulties.
The Following Chart Shows How A Case Of Truancy Is
Usually Handled By Chattooga County School System.
Student Returns To
Student Absent ’ School ~
Enrollod/'
X
Unexcused
Absences
Consultation 4—’"/’/
With Parents
\‘ Continued . Further Prosection
Unexcused Of Parents
e Absences .
Prosecution > +
Of Parents A/ \A
Or Juvenile Student Suspended
Court Hearing Or Expelled
* Provide tutorial service
for all students in need of ex
tra help.
* Provide student
assistance programs.
* Provide full (K-12)
counseling programs.
* Help socially-isolated
students learn to develop and
maintain friendships.
* Design a “‘buddy-system”
that matches one concerned
staff member with one student
who is experiencing school
related difficulties.
* Encourage, invite, even
assign students to participate
in at least one extra-curricular
school activity.
* Make sure parents who
are recent immigrants unders
tand the compulsory atten
dance laws and policies.
* Develop an attendance
policy that checks directly with
parents whenever their
children are absent.
* Experiment with new pro
Household Median Income Related to Level of
Education of Head of Household (1985)
Median household income
$25,000 | e A T
i $23,134
| /
$20,000 | %
| $15,171 /
$15,000
$12,970
‘ R
| $10,124 ZE .
SIO.OOO | "."Zfi.
j‘ ',_‘.';....:;;:Eé,, ‘
| s !
| ~:..:,o ';.,,..
| i |
$ 5000 | ,-".{" :
| VA |
; B
L| B .
Less than 8 years 1-3 years of High school
8 years high school graduate
Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
Money Is Available To
Help Battle Dropouts
Funding is available to help
communities such as Chat
tooga County set up a program
to combat the Eropout
problem.
During the past 18 months,
grams to help truants and
potential drop-outs remain in
school.
* Offer alternative educa
tional experiences and pro
grams both within and outside
of school.
* Make strong ties with
local industries and develop
work/study experiences and
programs.
Provide easy reentry pro
grams for students who have
already dropped out.
* Convince the school board
of the need for spending money
to help truants and drop-outs
stay in school. The loss o?state
reimbursement for
absenteeism can be greater
than the cost of preventive
programs.
* Develop a school or com
munity program designed to
educate parents, taxpayers and
students about school
attendance.
the federally financed Ap
palachian Regional Commis
sion (ARC) has provided more
than $2.5-million to fund 46
dr(()ipout prevention programs
and five technical assistance
projects.
The programs range from
partnerships between local
companies and schools to alter
native curriculums, counselin
by former dropouts ans
employment skills training. All
the efforts are locally
developed, locally run and
locally sustained, according to
the ARC.
“Many of these programs
were started by one individual
Ways Parents Can Help
Youths Stay In School
By JOHN HAYES
Chattooga County Visiting Teacher
The following is a partial list of ways
parents can help students stay in school.
The key to regular school attendance is
parent involvement.
When parents are concerned about the
educational experience, and take an active
interest in the educational process, their
children are less likely to have attendance
problems and are more likely to graduate.
Suggestions follow:
* Make education a family priority.
* Build the child's self confidence as a
student by recognizing when he or she does
well in school.
* Help the child develop good study and
work hagits.
* Develop a system of praise and
rewards for good study habits, good grades
and other good school related bahvior.
* Schedule a daily period of home study
time.
* Help with home work when needed.
* Meet the child's teachers and other
school personnel. They can provide in
sights into the child's school performance
and suggest ways for improvement.
* Get to know the child's friends and
classmates. They can influence the child’s
school performance. Lack of friends or pro
blems with classmates can also affect
Murray Has Program
from page 8-A
The Murray grant expired last
month but the salary of the
coordinator, Kate Pannell, has
been picked up by the local
board of education.
CHAMBER STUDY
A Chamber study of stu
dent records indicated that 40
percent of those students who
started the eighth grade drop
ped out of school before
graduating in 1985.
A followup study done in
June, 1986, %y Ms. Pannell
showed more than a three per
cent reduction in dropouts
from the previous year. “We
were pleased that there was
any reduction,’ she added.
Ms. Pannell, who has
testified before the Georgia
General Assembly about the
unique program, said the Mur
ray system has since started a
‘*homework hotline.” The pro
gram has proven to be very
popular with students and
parents alike, she said.
FOUR TEAMS
Four teams of teachers man
The Summerville News, January 22, 1987
Percentage of Families below Poverty Levels Re
lated to Level of Education of Head of Household
Percrntage
30 [ e it
25 l
20 l
156 2 "? '.'
s
1 S .'_,g.fo
S
: ,'.7:‘4‘!
c ‘ .ff“ 2 /
) /
! o;;f :3 ‘ /
| s
o | B
Less than 8 years 1-3 years of High school
8 years high school graduate
Source: Handbook of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.
who was appalled by the local
dropout rate, said Winifred A.
Pizzano, federal co-chairman of
the ARC. ““Often, that's all it
takes to start the momentum
for a community-wide effort.”
Seventy-seven percent of
the Appalachian region'’s coun
ties report dropout rates equal
to or higher than the national
average of one out of ever four
students, he said.
The public generally isn't
aware tgat a problem exists,
said Pizzano. gnly 36 percent
of those responding to a survey
in the region believed the
dropout rate to be ‘“very
serious’’ in their community
school attendance and performance.
* Find ways to discuss issues, subjects
and course material being covered at
school.
* Help the child develop an interest in
extra-curricular school activities such as
sports, band, clubs, etc.
* Get the child tutorial help with sub
jects that pose learning difficulties.
* Help the child develop and achieve
academic goals.
* Emphasize the important role educa
tion plays throughout life.
* (Get involved with the PTA, PTO or
school board in order to better understand
and help change the problems related to
school attendance.
* Develop a phone-in policy with the
school to check on the chifii's daily atten
dance. or have the person in charge of
school attendance alert you about
non-attendance.
* Explain how drop-outs have more
trouble getting and keeping jobs and make
less money than graduates.
* Develop a school or com:unity pro
gram designed to educate parents, tax
payers and students about the topic of
school attendance
(Editor’s Note: Hayes said, the forego
ing was adapted from The School Atten
dance Handbook, copyrighted by the
William Gladden Foundation, York, Pa., in
1987. The authors are Charlotte G. Gorman
and Dr. Waln K. Brown).
telephones from 5 until 8 p.m.
Mondaaf through Thursday to
respond to student questions
about school work. Teachers
who receive staff development
credit aren't paid for the ser
vice while those who don't
receive such credit are paid $lO
per n:'ight. The schedule is
worked so that no teacher on a
team works more than one
night per week.
“It has worked beautiful
ly,"” she said.
One big part of the original
and ongoing campaigns is a
public awareness program, Ms.
Pannell said. The entire com
munity — including business
men, industrialists, youngsters
and their parents — was made
aware that Murary had a
severe dropout problem.
Children have it drilled into
them from the first time they
step into a classroom how im
portant it is for them to receive
a high school diploma, she
indicated.
MANY FACTORS
While a lot of factors con
tribute to the dropout problem,
and 70 percent didn't know
about any dropout prevention
efforts in their area. The ma
jority also drastically
underestimated their county
dropout rate, lplacing them at
10 percent or less when actual
rates averaged between 25 and
35 percent.
In Chattooga, if the 11.9 an
nual percent rate for 1985-86 in
grades 8-12 is multiplied by
five years, the county's
dropout rate from the beginn
ing of the eighth grade to the
12th grade Eefore graduation
would be a whopping 59.5 per
cent, one of the highest in the
ARC area if not the highest.
Ms. Pannell said the core of the
matter seems to go back to the
home and how much en
couragement a child receives in
his schoolwork and whether his
parents are determined that he
completes school.
The Murray program seems
to be picking up interest
statewitfie, Ms. Pannell said.
W alton County school officials
have visited the system, alon
with that county's Chamber o%
Commerce. Trion School Supt.
Bill Kinzy has expressed an in
terest in the project and both
the Georgia Association of
Educators and the Professional
Association of Educators have
invited Ms. Pannell to present
a seminar on the project during
upcoming conferences. :
“READER’S DIGEST”
Ms. Pannell also mentioned
a December, 1986 ‘‘Reader’s
Digest” article which outlines
how parents can help even
“‘slow learners’ improve their:
school work dramaticallg' and
how the proper homelife can
encoura%e youngsters to stay
in school.
9-A