Where Running Faster in the Wrong Direction Has Got Us
Most dropout prevention programs do not address the profound flaws in the way conventional schools work. That's why, despite pouring millions, if not billions, of dollars into ending the dropout epidemic, 7,000 students drop out of school every day.
We can't afford to waste any more young minds. Policymakers and education leaders need to question whether higher standards, more rigorous courses, and tougher high-stakes tests actually prompt students to leave school.
I'm not alone—others in education echo this concern. The current strategy for school improvement is "too narrowly focused on an academic, classroom-based approach," write researchers in a recent report from the Pathways to Prosperity Project at Harvard Graduate School of Education. Their report calls for a "broader vision on school reform" and urges the development of a