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In April 2008, One D partners New Detroit, the Detroit Regional Chamber, and the United Way hosted a “Dropout Prevention Summit and Retreat” in partnership with the America’s Promise Alliance, Skillman Foundation, and Detroit Parent Network to create a broad and deliberate response to the unacceptably high dropout rates at high schools around the region.
Agenda
The first day of the Summit featured school district and community leaders in cities like Boston and New York that have successfully boosted student achievement in their high schools. The second day of the Summit gave local school teams the opportunity to begin planning their own school turnaround solutions.
Dropout Factories
There are 35 high schools in Southeastern Michigan that have been identified as “dropout factories” by a Johns Hopkins University study based on statistics that show their senior classes to be less than 60% the size of their freshmen class for three consecutive years. Those 35 schools are being invited to send to the Summit a team of 10 people who will lead the turnaround efforts in their schools. Each team of 10 is expected to include:
- principal
- the building’s union representative
- senior faculty member
- junior faculty member
- student
- parent
- community partner
- faith-based partner
- corporate partner
- school support staff member
Outcomes
The action plans being created at the Summit and Retreat are consistent with the Governor’s proposed Schools of the 21st Century Fund, and local business and foundation leaders were invited to the Summit to help fund some of the best ideas that emerged.
For more information:
If you are interested in working with us to continue this very important work, please contact us.
Planning Committee:
• Detroit Parent Network
• Detroit Regional Chamber
• New Detroit, Inc.
• The Skillman Foundation
• United Way for Southeastern Michigan |
