Today, 6,000 young people will drop
out of school. That's 1.2 million high school dropouts a year - and 1.2
million young adults closing the door of opportunity. Education is the key to getting a good job, one with a good income and health
care. And it's the key to our nation's productivity and global
competitiveness.
That's why United Way has put a stake in the ground on education. Our
goal is to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018. We've
issued a challenge to all 1,300 United Ways and their community partners - and
we want you to get involved, too.
High school dropouts are more than
12 years in the making. Children start learning at birth; the foundation
for future learning is laid in the first few years. Disadvantaged
children come to school at least two years behind their peers in pre-reading
skills, and most never catch up. By 3rd grade, a child's grades and
absenteeism rates can predict with 90% accuracy whether he or she will complete
high school. The entire education continuum, from birth through 21, must
be in our collective crosshairs if we want to move the needle on high school
graduation. That means making sure children are:
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Ready for school, starting with the social, emotional and cognitive skills they
need to succeed;
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Reading on track by 4th grade;
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Transitioning successfully to middle school;
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Graduating high school on time;
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Working
or in school by 21.
What's the impact of high school
dropouts in your community? United Way's Common Good ForecasterTM, found at www.liveunited.org/forecaster,
can help you determine exactly how education affects your community's future.
For example, it can predict to what degree might higher levels of
education in your county lower the poverty and unemployment rates - and
boost incomes. But beyond jobs and incomes, it can show how changes in
the educational level of a place affect its incarceration rate. Or the
percentage of adults who are obese. Or even voter turnout in the next
election.
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What does it really take to improve education? Research shows that supportive
communities, effective schools and strong families must be in place, supported
by early, sustained investment and driven by proven strategies. United
Way has a framework to guide our education work, one that's helping our 1,300
United Ways mobilize people around education.
But what matters most is individual
involvement.
Research shows the strategies proven to work are
those that connect communities to their schools: parent involvement; literacy
volunteers in the classroom; mentors for disadvantaged students; business
leaders engaged. These aren't things government can do - but you can! Visit the
"Give. Advocate. Volunteer." to learn how
you can make a difference in the schools of your community.
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