“Meeting the Challenge: Promising Practices for Reducing the Dropout Rate in Massachusetts Schools and Districts”

Published Online: March 3, 2009
Published in Print: March 4, 2009

“Meeting the Challenge: Promising Practices for Reducing the Dropout Rate in Massachusetts Schools and Districts”


An examination of Massachusetts high schools that have lowered their dropout rates shows that they used key strategies that helped make a difference.

For a report issued last month, the Cambridge, Mass.-based Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy examined 11 high schools in nine districts.

A frequently cited strategy employed by high schools in the study was using data to identify students who were deemed to be at risk of dropping out and designing interventions to help them, such as credit recovery, or extra academic or social support.

Also cited by many schools as helpful were building strong connections between school and college or careers, providing strong alternatives to traditional high schools, and forging strong collaboration among faculty members and with community partners.

By Catherine Gewertz
Vol. 28, Issue 23, Pages 4-5