More than one-third of the students who begin high school in the United States will leave school without a diploma. In fact, an estimated 1.3 million high school students will drop out of high school this year. The dropout problem is very real... and it is a problem that affects the entire nation.
The cost of dropping out is staggering. High school dropouts are more likely to become clients of social service programs... programs that are supported by tax dollars. Additionally, 82 percent of inmates currently incarcerated in the American prison system are high school dropouts. A recent study reported in the New York Times estimates that each new high school graduate will earn at minimum, $143 per week more than a high school dropout, and this translates into an economic benefit to the overall tax base of approximately $127,000 over the graduate's lifetime.
Communities In Schools of Northeast Texas exists to begin addressing the problem in early elementary grades, and throughout the student's school career. A grant-funded program, receiving funding through Texas Education Agency, local school districts, community partnerships and donations, Communities In Schools of Northeast Texas spends approximately $427 per student to ensure that the students stay in school. With a 99% success rate, Communities In Schools is a proven, cost-effective strategy to help reduce the dropout rate.
For more information on Communities In Schools of Northeast Texas, please give us a call (903.434.8212). Or drop us an e-mail at cis@cis-netx.org
