"Dropouts are not born, they are created."

"Dropouts are not born, they are created." Those words, from Michigan state superintendent Mike Flanagan, are more than a slogan — they are a battle cry. And now it's up to the nearly 500 participants at the Michigan State Dropout Prevention Summit to settle on a plan of attack. Among those who presented at the summit today: • Nettie Legters of the Academy of Educational Development presented a review of research related to high school dropout rates, the importance of the transition from middle school to high school, and the development of a comprehensive system of interventions and supports designed to prevent high school dropout. • Martha Mac Iver of Johns Hopkins University presented research about early warning systems for potential dropouts and strategies for keeping those students in school. Tomorrow's offerings include: • Beth Brophy of the Calhoun Intermediate School District will talk about using student achievement data to support instructional decision making. • High school consultant Kristine Gullen will talk about how to assist students struggling with mathematics. Sandra Riley, of the Michigan Center for Instructional Consultation Teams and Melissa Heller, an instructional coach for Kalkaska Public Schools, will speak on assisting students who are struggling with reading. • Brandy Johnson-Faith of the Michigan College Access Network will discuss how to help schools navigate the path to college. Did you present at the summit? Were you there? What did you learn? Where do we need to go to fight the dropout epidemic? Contact us — we'd love to hear from you.