Dropout Prevention Programs: What Do We Know About What Works Prepared for Reforming High Schools: Tools to Help Promote Change April 26 th, 2009 John H. Tyler Brown University and The National Bureau of Economic Research

Scope of the Problem 1.2 million dropouts per year Estimated societal lifetime cost per dropout… –$260,000 The problem does not fall evenly across racial, economic, and geographically defined groups. What is the trend in dropout rates? What do we know about predicting who will drop out? What do we know about dropout prevention?

Why Don’t We Know More Than We Do? The “evaluation problem” in social science research. –Example: “student disengagement” The experimental approach to this problem. The “blackbox” nature of experiments.

What Do We Know? Features of successful programs: –Close monitoring and mentoring of individual students –Attention to attendance, behavior, & academics –Coordinating services across family, community, & school –Ability to follow students across years and schools

The Systemic Approach of NYC Office of Multiple Pathways to Graduation –30 “transfer” high schools serving 9,000 students Students who are over-age, under-credited, or have dropped out of school –22 Young Adult Borough Centers serving 5,500 students Evening academic program for students with adult responsibilities or otherwise at risk of dropping out.