Educators gather for RI dropout summit

PROVIDENCE—According to new data from the Rhode Island Department of Education, 27 percent of high school students don’t graduate on time and 16 percent drop out.

Educators gathered Thursday in Providence for a summit on dropout prevention and to talk about the problem and possible solutions.

“The dropout challenge is a problem and has enormous social costs, but it’s also very solvable,“ said Dr. Robert Balfanz, of Johns Hopkins University.

Balfanz explained that some kids get into a position where they don’t see a future.

“They’re struggling to succeed in school and as early as sixth grade they’re sort of waving their hands saying, ‘I’m in trouble’ and we’re not noticing until it’s ninth grade, 10th grade, 12th grade and then it’s too late,“ Balfanz said.

Elizabeth Burke Bryant of Kids Count Rhode Island said it takes a group effort to address those students who are being left behind.

“It takes great superintendents, great teachers, students with the motivation to stick with it and know that they have to work hard in school,“ she said.

Ricky Rodriguez, a high school senior, is an example of how that can work. He’s joined a group called Young Voices.

“It really changed my life and it also changed my mind on whether I should drop out or not,“ he said.

Rodriguez said the group has given him a direction that he couldn’t get from a teacher or even a parent because it’s made up of peers.

“Young Voices is more like a family to me. We treat each other with this love and compassion like we’re all a family and we all care about each other and that means a lot,“ Rodriguez said.

Another group, Youth in Action, gave high school junior Israel Okumola a connection with his neighborhood.

“We look into some crisis like the RIPTA crisis and tell teenagers how to be safe,“ he said.

It will take more support from similar programs to keep more students in school until they graduate.