Federal grants target at-risk students, reward dropout recovery programs

In the first wave of funding under a revitalized high school graduation initiative, the U.S. Department of Education is betting nearly $50 million that it can help states and school districts find better ways to hang onto students who might drop out — and to bring back those who already have, Education Week is reporting.

Instead of targeting students demographically, the funded initiatives — up to $3 million for each of 29 states to help improve graduation rates at schools with poor dropout records — are intended to target students (and former students) in ways specific to those individuals, their learning needs and their personal obstacles.

"An unusual aspect of the grant program is its emphasis on bringing back students who have dropped out," reporter Catherine Gewertz writes. "It actually gave more weight to a grant applicant’s recovery plans than it did to its early-identification and intervention plans."

In Chicago, for instance, a $2.9 million grant will create "acceleration institutes" where "reengagement specialists" will track down recent dropouts, attempt to convince them to return, and provide "intense" support to help them achieve the goal of graduating with a high school diploma.