For: Superintendents, Principals, Dropout Prevention Directors, Career Development Coordinators and all concerned educators

"We know enough about who the dropouts are, why they drop out and how to prevent it to help communities confront and stop their dropout crisis!" Robert Balfanz

SNAPSHOT: Every educator knows the sick feeling of finding out a student has dropped out of school and bought a ticket to the hard life. Now with NCLB, there's an added urgency for educators: Graduation rates are a measure of high school performance and a red flag that middle schools and even elementary schools have big holes in their safety nets.

In his dynamic presentation, Robert Balfanz, a Johns Hopkins University researcher and a leader in the campaign to end the dropout crisis, provides a simple 3-step plan for attacking the dropout problem in your school or district.

Step 1--Understanding the problem in your system. Who is dropping out and why? How is the learning environment working against these students?

Step 2--Building a prevention, early warning and intervention plan. Identifying key transition points for students. What you should do and never do to ensure graduation.

Step 3--Involving the community. Get the dollars flowing between education and social services. Mobilize human resources from the community to work on the problem with you.

Order by phone: 1-207-632-1954.

YOU'RE INVITED: Listen at your leisure to the entire 90-minute audioconference. Share with colleagues or listen together. 3 steps to building an early warning and intervention system for potential dropouts

For only $50 more ($247) order a full transcript of the audioconference to review as you implement the recommendations. Click button below to order the CD and transcript.

CONFERENCE TOPICS: Key topics covered by Dr. Balfanz include:

• the four types of dropouts;
• collecting answers to the tough questions communities need to ask about school climate, teaching and learning conditions;
• key transitions for students at risk of falling off the graduation path;
• the importance of daily attendance;
• the vital role middle schools play;
• why on-time promotion to 10th grade is essential;
• how to combine the basics of good schooling with focused prevention, intervention and recovery efforts;
• indicators of middle school students at high risk and
• how to involve the community in ending the dropout crisis.

  WHO'S IT FOR? Superintendents, assistant superintendents, principals, assistant principals, curriculum directors, dropout prevention directors, career development coordinators, teachers, education consultants and other education leaders.

  ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Robert Balfanz is a widely published research scientist at the Center for Social Organization of Schools, Johns Hopkins University. He is currently the lead investigator on a Middle School Dropout Prevention project in collaboration with the Philadelphia Education Fund. He is also the co-director of the Talent Development Middle and High School Project, which currently works with over 100 high-poverty secondary schools on comprehensive whole-school reforms, and the co-operator of the Baltimore Talent Development High School, an Innovation High School run in partnership with the Baltimore City Public School System.