What works in reducing high school dropouts? A recent study by the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy looked at 11 high schools in Massachusetts that showed declining dropout rates in an attempt to answer this question.

What did they find? In a state where around one in five students doesn't graduate in four years, the schools that managed to lower the rate shared a few characteristics. The schools didn't just focus on academic supports; rather, they worked to "foster increased engagement in schools", developing personalized strategies that recognized the social and emotional needs of students, and worked to connect high school to college and careers.

See the related policy brief for detailed information on the schools and their practices, such as the use of data to identify and support students at risk of dropping out.

What is your school or district doing to support kids at risk of dropping out?