Low retention seen as biggest risk of online classes

The more online classes a student takes, the greater the chance -- as much as 35% -- that they will drop out or fail, writes Rebecca Glazier, a professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. This puts more pressure on teachers to engage with students by finding ways to give personal feedback, Glazier notes.   Full Story: EdSurge (7/6) 

Depression in late adolescence may increase high-school dropout risk

A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health found that older adolescents with depression had a more than twofold higher likelihood of dropping out of high school, compared with those who recovered from earlier depression or those without depression. The findings also showed higher rates of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and conduct disorder among dropouts and at-risk peers, compared with average students.   Reuters

Obama takes aim at K-12 absenteeism

President Barack Obama is seeking to curb absenteeism among K-12 students with two new initiatives. The proposal calls for the My Brother's Keeper program to introduce "Success Mentors" and for a national campaign to educate parents about the effects of chronic absenteeism.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/white-house-wants-to-pair-1-million-students-with-mentors-to-reduce-chronic-absenteeism/2016/02/19/9d44e220-d720-11e5-b195-2e29a4e13425_story.html

Recent Resources on Dropout Prevention for Students with Disabilities

Two recent publications from the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities provide helpful information on current data and promising strategies to improve student outcomes:

• Decreasing Dropout Rates for Minority Male Youth with Disabilities from Culturally and Ethnically Diverse Backgrounds    http://www.ndpc-sd.org/knowledge/EDC-2014-web-monograph.html
• A Literature Map of Dropout Prevention Interventions for Students with Disabilities  http://www.ndpc-sd.org/documents/wilkins-huckabee-lit-review.pdf

For additional dropout prevention resources that focus on encouraging effective parent involvement with their transition-aged youth, check out the publications of PACER Center's Dropout Prevention Project.   http://www.pacer.org/dropout/