How to Get Dropouts Back Into the Classrooms

Help a high school dropout get back to school so she can have the chance to graduate and earn her diploma.

Earning a high school diploma is a very important achievement in an individual's life. For a number of different reasons, including things like bullying, getting pregnant and lack of encouragement at home, many students choose to drop out of high school instead of continuing through graduation. If a student drops out, he can still change his mind and come back to school to pick up where he left off, until he is 19 years old.

Instructions

1. Visit the home of a student that has dropped out of high school. Talk to her about the reasons that she decided to stop attending. Listen closely to what she has to say in order to help her solve the problem.

2. Encourage him to return to school. Tell him that it isn't too late to return. Reassure him that he has the ability to to earn his diploma if he gives high school another try.

3. Create solutions to any obstacles standing in the way of the student returning to class. For example, if she dropped out because she was pregnant and now she has a baby to watch during school hours, help her find childcare. If other options such as flexible school hours, online courses, or weekend classes are available, inform her of this.

4. Help him transfer to a different high school if he is resistant to return to the same school that he dropped out of. Not having to return to his original school might be enough to make him want to go back to school and earn his diploma.

5. Encourage the student to get her GED, if this seems like the best option. Test centers are located throughout the country, so help her to find one close to her home. Explain how the test works to her. Find out your state's GED requirements at acenet.edu.

References

• News 4 WOAI: Finding Ways to Bring Dropouts Back to High School
• Professor's House: The High School Drop Out
• Education Portal: How to Get a GED

Resources

• American Council on Education