The Reference Desk, using available evidence and research, provides quick-turnaround responses to questions submitted by education stakeholders around the Northeast and Islands Region. Every Friday, REL-NEI highlights one or two questions submitted to its Reference Desk.
Question of the Week
What are Examples of State Legislation Focused on High School Dropout Prevention?
The Reference Desk has received an increasing number of requests on state legislation that addresses a variety of topics. Recently, requestors have been interested in examples of state legislation that address high school dropout prevention. This week’s Digest provides examples of state legislation in the Northeast and Islands Region.
Question
What are examples of state legislation focused on high school dropout prevention?
Research Synthesis
Based on a search using the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Education Legislation Database, Reference Desk researchers found that there are hundreds of pieces of legislation related to graduation and dropout prevention in recent years. For the purpose of this request, researchers selected examples that specifically address dropout prevention, placing an emphasis on recent legislation and states in the Northeast and Islands Region. The examples listed below represent legislation that address a variety of aspects of dropout prevention, including statewide dropout prevention and recovery programs, and changing the compulsory school age.
Sources
Education Bill Tracking Databases. National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
According to the NCSL website, the databases allow users to “search legislation by state, topic, status, primary sponsor, bill number or keyword.” The bill summaries and titles quoted below are taken directly from the results of searches using terms such as: “high school-dropout prevention;” “high school-graduation rate measurement;” and “postsecondary-college preparation.” When available, a direct link to the bill is provided.
- 2008–Present Database
- 2001–2007 Database
Examples of Legislation in the REL-NEI Region
- Center for At Risk Students. Maine Senate Bill 528; Enacted, 2009.
“Establishes the Center of Excellence for At-Risk Students to provide an on-site course of instruction for youth at risk of failing or dropping out of school, requires the center to provide vocational and behavioral health education, training and support for families of students, and training and support for public school teachers in dealing with students who are at risk of failing or dropping out of school, provides that the center shall be implemented by a specified nonprofit corporation.”
- Graduation Rates and Dropout Prevention. Massachusetts Senate Bill 2766; Enacted, 2008.“Improves dropout prevention and reporting of graduation rates, requires providing public school districts with a standardized format for the accurate reporting of graduation and dropout data to facilitate the implementation of a longitudinal data collection system over specified periods, creates a graduation and dropout prevention and recovery commission to survey dropout prevention and recovery best practices and programs nationwide and to evaluate programs currently in use.”
- Rhode Island High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2007. Rhode Island House Bill 5351; Passed, 2007.
“Creates the Rhode Island High School Dropout Prevention Act of 2007; provides that it shall be the responsibility of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to work in collaboration with school districts and the Department of Higher Education to implement strategies to lower the dropout rate and to incorporate into its support and intervention, specific dropout prevention strategies, target resources, and gather data that will include graduation rates and educational outcomes in all schools.”
- An Act Relating to Miscellaneous Changes to Education Law. Vermont House Bill 867 (Sec 20); Passed, 2006.
“Provides that the commissioner of education shall gather information which will facilitate discussion during the 2007 legislative session about increasing the compulsory education age to 18, and present the data to the senate and house committees on education during January, 2007. Information gathered shall include the number of young people who have dropped out of school in each of the last 10 years, the types of facilities and programs that are available to help young people at risk of not completing school to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent, costs of services alternative to the public school system, and other information which will inform the discussion.”
- Dropout Prevention and Dropout Recovery. New Hampshire Senate Bill 619; Passed 2003. “Establishes a dropout prevention and dropout recovery program in the Department of Education to provide a variety of services to high school students.” See also Senate Bill 18, passed 2007,
“raising the age of required attendance of children in school.”
The Reference Desk also found this organization to be helpful in learning more about
dropout prevention in states:
- Education Commission of the States
According to the website: “The mission of The Education Commission of the States is to help states develop effective policy and practice for public education.” The High School: Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates section provides resources on dropout prevention in general and examples of what states are doing.
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