Innovative Approach
We all are acquainted with local job fairs visiting our areas to recruit employees for the many companies that are represented. Often these job fairs are sponsored by a local Department of Labor or employment agency. The Broward County School District has taken a different slant and recently sponsored the “Re-Engagement Education Fair”. One of the planners, Dr. Alister Alexis, explains that the fair was designed to reach out to those young people who have not completed their high school education. He further states that the purpose of the Re-Engagement Education Fair is to provide the prospective student with information and resources available to assist them in obtaining their high school diploma or GED. The Re-Engagement fair targeted youth who have dropped out of school within the past two years and was held at McFatter Technical Center. Dr Alexis commented that the district wants to have the student return to school in “a way that is friendly and inviting and painless as possible.”
Addressing the High School Drop out Problem
Florida has one of the highest youth dropout rates in the nation and Drop Out Prevention Specialists are focusing on helping youth to return to school and better yet, not drop out while in school. According to a drop out prevention specialist, youth are most at risk to drop out of school between middle school and high school. By the time the student reaches ninth grade, if the student is unable to continue with peers, he/she may leave school, often never completing the high school graduation requirements. The Re-Engagement Education Fair can serve as a model for other communities that struggle with the issue of high school dropouts. It is an innovative approach to resolving an ongoing troubling educational issue in our country. Statistics report that generally the higher one’s educational level, the higher one’s standard of living. To acquire skills that will allow our youth to be productive and financially secure, it is imperative that we encourage them to complete school and enroll in a higher level of training, whether it be vocational school, junior college, college or other educational facility.
Using Available Resources
School districts may successfully re-engage students who have dropped out of school by following the lead of the Broward School District. School Dropout Prevention Specialists could be helpful in identifying those students who appear at risk for leaving school and refer them to resources and programs within the school system that will help them to recognize the critical importance and value of completing high school and continuing their education beyond high school. One of the students who planned to participate in the education fair states that he had every intention of completing school and attending a technical college but had dropped out of school. He stated that he was excitedly looking forward to returning to school and was grateful to the Broward School district for its foresight in planning the Re-Engagement Fair.
Model for Communities
Our communities would greatly benefit if school systems would outreach the student population who do not feel it necessary or possible to complete their education. Often, these individuals drop out because of personal issues, feelings of inadequacy and failure, financial problems and a myriad of other social and economic factors. Helping our youth to get back on track and return to school would be an advantage for both community and student. Offering the student counseling, focused educational and tutorial services directed toward their needs and maintaining a receptive and nurturing environment will do much to help reduce the high school dropout rates. Broward County has taken the lead in addressing and correcting the needs of high school dropouts; hopefully, other communities will follow suit by partnering with education specialists to adapt Broward County School District’s innovative ideas and programs to reduce the rate of high school dropouts.
