Reenrollment of high school dropouts in a large, urban school district

For the full report Reenrollment of high school dropouts in a large, urban school district

-Patricia

August 11, 2006
Institute of Education Sciences
Department of Ed

There is urgency in all four western states to keep students on track to graduate and to get them back on track when they lose their way. Yet "recovering" dropouts by re-enrolling them in schools can also be problematic for districts. Existing data and interviews with students and school and district administrators will inform this case study of the San Bernardino (CA) Unified School District, which explores current efforts to recover students who have dropped out, as well as the policy incentives and disincentives to do so. Legislators, foundations, and the California Department of Education have requested such an analysis to inform upcoming policy reforms.

Abstract: This study follows a cohort of first-time 9th graders in one large urban school district from 2001/02 to 2005/06 and documents their dropout, reenrollment, and graduation rates. For the one-third of dropouts who reenrolled in the district over that period, it reports course credit accrual and graduation outcomes as well as students' reasons for dropping out and the challenges districts face with their reenrollment.