This guide is targeted to school and district administrators, as well as members of student-support teams including school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and teachers. It provides recommendations that can be implemented in conjunction with existing academic curricula and student-support services. No single recommendation is likely to prevent dropout entirely on its own, because each addresses different types of student needs and challenges. The panel believes that Recommendations 1, 2, and 3 complement one another and are most effective when implemented simultaneously in all types of schools. Recommendation 4 should be implemented primarily in schools with high dropout rates to facilitate implementation of the other three recommendations. It is important to note that Recommendation 4 might be more challenging to implement, as it could involve staffing and other structural changes in the school.

Electronic reproduction.

Table of Contents: Introduction to the Preventing Dropout in Secondary Schools Practice Guide -- Recommendation 1. Monitor the progress of all students, and proactively intervene when students show early signs of attendance, behavior, or academic problems -- Summary of Evidence.: Minimal Evidence -- 1. Organize and analyze data to identify students who miss school, have behavior problems, or are struggling in their courses -- 2. Intervene with students who show early signs of falling off track -- 3. If data show high rates of absenteeism, take steps to help students, parents, and school staff understand the importance of attending school daily -- 4. Monitor progress and adjust interventions as needed -- Recommendation 2. Provide intensive, individualized support to students who have fallen off track and face significant challenges to success -- Summary of Evidence: Moderate Evidence -- 1. For each student identified as needing individualized support, assign a single person to be the student’s primary advocate -- 2. Develop a menu of support options that advocates can use to help students -- 3. Support advocates with ongoing professional learning opportunities and tools for tracking their work -- Recommendation 3. Engage students by offering curricula and programs that connect schoolwork with college and career success and that improve students’ capacity to manage challenges in and out of school -- Summary of Evidence.: Strong Evidence -- 1. Directly connect schoolwork to students’ options after high school -- 2. Provide curricula and programs that help students build supportive relationships and teach students how to manage challenges -- 3. Regularly assess student engagement to identify areas for improvement, and target interventions to students who are not meaningfully engaged -- Recommendation 4. For schools with many at-risk students, create small, personalized communities to facilitate monitoring and support -- Summary of Evidence.: Moderate Evidence -- 1. Decide whether the small communities will serve a single grade or multiple grades -- 2. Create teams of teachers that share common groups of students -- 3. Identify a theme to help build a strong sense of identity and community and to improve student engagement -- 4. Develop a schedule that provides common planning time and ample opportunities for staff to monitor and support students -- Glossary -- Appendix A. Postscript from the Institute of Education Sciences -- Appendix B. About the Authors -- Appendix C. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest -- Appendix D. Rationale for Evidence Ratings -- References -- Endnotes.