The AT&T Aspire Program is a $100 million initiative to address high school success and college and workforce readiness. The AT&T Aspire program includes four key components: grants to prepare students for college, job shadowing opportunities, researching the high school dropout issue and solutions, and supporting 100 community dropout-prevention summits.

On August 12th, 2008, the Center for American Progress presented, "College-Ready Students, Student-Ready Colleges: Enhancing Degree Completion Through Student Empowerment and Systems Change," an event focusing on the issues surrounding higher education. At the event, speakers discussed rising costs, the need for more federal involvement, and agreed on an overall need for change in higher education.

A Federal Agenda for Promoting Student Success and Degree Completion, co-authored and discussed at the event by speaker Josipa Roska.

College for All?
The Labor Market for College-Educated Workers written by speaker Paul Osterman.

Too few young people are ready for college, work and life. So what do we know about the programs designed to reach young people before they “disconnect” and help ensure all youth finish high school ready for a successful adulthood. A July 18, 2008 Working for Change forum—sponsored by the Community Service Society of New York in collaboration with the Coalition on Human Needs—looked at what’s being done and how well it’s working to improve graduation rates and reconnect young our youth. Maria Allen has this summary.

This study reviews the literature and explores the practices of six teachers who won national and/or state awards for working with students who are at-risk or highly mobile. The study was designed by the National Center for Homeless Education and The College of William and Mary.

This year, 1.23 million students will fail to graduate from high school. This report from Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center examines "P-16" or "P-20" councils that link precollegiate schooling and higher education. To date, 38 states have created councils; here's a look what's working, what's needed and how these councils are spreading the word about their efforts.

In February 2008, about 200 teens gathered to discuss the school dropout rate in New York City, covering such factors as peer pressure, lack of support from parents, schools and the community, barriers for immigrants and gender inequities. The Children's Aid Society has posted recommendations from the conference on its Website.

As the nation's soaring drop-out rates draw new attention and concern, parents and policymakers struggle to find ways to give kids an urgent message: staying in school is important. But sometimes, the messenger is as important as the message. Here is a young man's own cautionary tale of high school struggles, republished here with permission from YO! Youth Outlook.

This Jobs for the Future report looks at whether our society makes good on its promise of a second chance for young people who have dropped out of high school. Among the myths shattered by the research review: dropping out is not just a problem of the poor, but socioeconomic status—not race—is a key indicator for dropping out. Black and Hispanic youth are no more likely to drop out than their white peers in the same socioeconomic group. In addition, most dropouts are persistent in their desire to get more education. The report offers specific policy recommendations to serve disconnected young people.

America is in the midst of a "drop-out" crisis. Nationally, only about two-thirds of all students who enter 9th grade graduate with regular high school diplomas four years later. Rates vary widely across states, but on average, 72 percent of female students and 64 percent of male students graduated in 2001; the numbers for African American students is as low as 50 percent. Contrary to popular opinion, several studies show that young people who have dropped out do want to finish their degree. This new report from the American Youth Policy Forum looks at efforts across the country to reconnect out-of-school youth with educational and work opportunities. The report focuses on specific approaches in 12 communities, and looks at national models for reconnection.

Research shows that as many as 60 percent of students are "chronically disengaged" from school. This report from the Coalition for Community Schools offers evidence that community-based learning—which integrates different strategies, including service learning, place-based education, environmental and civic education, and work and community service—can help re-engage students using real-world content and issues. The community-based approach is linked with higher attendance rates, improved academic performance, and on-time graduation.