Model Program

The 100% Graduation Rate Program mission is to improve the national high school and college graduation rate of minority males through a drop-out prevention program. The goal of the program is to develop a collaboration between the business, academic, and service communities to encourage high school minority males to stay in school and reach their full potential, and reduce the likelihood that young men will become involved in the criminal justice system by addressing several areas of minority males academic and social development.

Program Descriptors Include:
Academic Improvement, Attendance/Truancy, Behavior Management/Discipline, Bullying/Violence, Career Education, Community Collaboration, Extended-School/Summer Program, Family/Parental Involvement, Literacy Development, Substance Abuse, Virtual Learning, Life Skills Training, Transition Program

Starting Date: 1995
Students Served Per Year: 250-500
Last Verified: 2011

Program addresses the following:

Individual factors

• High number of work hours
• Parenthood
• High-risk peer group
• High-risk social behavior
• Highly socially active outside of school
• Low achievement
• Retention/overage for grade
• Poor attendance
• Low educational expectations
• Lack of effort
• Low commitment to school
• No extracurricular participation
• Misbehavior
• Early aggression

Family factors

• Low socioeconomic status
• High family mobility
• Low education level of parents
• Large number of siblings
• Not living with both natural parents
• Family disruption
• Low educational expectations
• Sibling(s) has dropped out
• Low contact with school
• Lack of conversations about school

School factors

• Limited resources: expenditures per student/ teacher salaries/ student-teacher ratios
• School math achievement
• Student engagement
• Teacher expectations

Community factors

• Family composition/socioeconomic status
• Local labor market/neighborhood stability
• Youth social attitudes

Program promotes the following:

Relationships

• Presence and involvement of caring, supportive adults
• Opportunities and rewards for pro-social involvement
• Clear social norms
• Good relationships with parents, peers, and teachers
• Involvement with positive peer activities
• Perception of support from adults and peers

Independence

• Healthy/conventional beliefs and standards
• Positive/resilient temperament

Competence

• Social competencies
• Self efficacy

Creativity

• Problem-solving skills
• Flexibility

Optimism

• High expectations by community, family, school, and self
• Optimistic

School

• Comprehensive diagnostic systems
• Early warning systems
• Personalized instruction and learning
• Rigorous and relevant instruction
• Academic support
• Instruction on behavior and social skills
• Supportive school climate
• Encourage family involvement/community supports
• Teach self-determination and self-advocacy skills including student/person-centered planning
• Help students to address problems that interfere with learning

The participants in the program's Group B (treatment) had a 90% High School graduation rate compared to the participants' in Group A's (control) 60%, and the city's minority male rate of 39 percent. The High School Drop-out rate also favored Group B compared to Group A, 5% to 16%, and the city's rate of over 40%.

How evaluation data was collected:
Data collected and analyzed at school/district level
Data collected and analyzed at state or organizational level