Clipmarks | dmegivern's Education collection

Social Workers Needed in Schools

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:20:52 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Social Workers Trained to Spot Obstacles for Students

Poverty, behavioral problems and lack of safety contribute to dropping out of school.

Efforts to curb the high rate of high school dropouts in the U.S. have been discussed for decades. However, new rallying cries from national leaders and organizations to address the problem have been broadcast nationwide in recent months.

"It's increasingly apparent that the basic building blocks of a good life — a quality education, stable income and good health — are beyond the reach of too many individuals and families," Gallagher said. "As a nation, we can't accept these conditions. We need to challenge the system to ignite a new social movement and begin to develop new partnerships and strategies which will create opportunities for a better life for all people."

Social workers and school social workers point out that their roles are critical in any efforts to keep children from becoming dropout statistics.

Tags: high school, dropout, social_work

What's Possible for Our Children

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 21:55:58 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: He is plugging TRiO programs, which proves he is on the ball about "what works."

Clip Source: www.denverpost.com

Sen. Barack Obama's speech, "What's Possible for Our Children," was delivered at Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts in Thornton on Wednesday:

"And so while I know hopelessness, I also know hope. I know that if we bring early education programs to these communities, if we stop waiting until high-school to address the drop-out rate and start in earlier grades — as my Success in the Middle Act will do — if we bring in new, qualified teachers, if we expand college outreach programs like GEAR UP and TRIO and fight to expand summer learning opportunities for minority and disadvantaged students — like I've done in the Senate — or if we double funding for after-school programs to serve a million more children, as I've proposed to do as president, if we do all this, we can make a difference in the lives of our children and the life of this country. I know we can. I've seen it happen. And so have you.

What Upward Bound is...

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:01:12 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern

Clip Source: www.desmoinesregister.com

About Upward Bound

How Upward Bound works:

At a taxpayer cost of about $5,000 per student (the low-income students in the program pay nothing), Upward Bound transports students to 17 Iowa college campuses, as well as numerous other schools throughout the country, for six-week stays. They are given room and board, school supplies and books.

High school teachers lead courses in laboratory science, math, foreign languages, English composition and electives. Students can take classes for college credit. The program also prepares students to apply for college and offers tips on financial aid. Then there are follow-ups throughout the school year.

Upward Bound focuses on students with at least a 2.0 high school grade point average and who are from a family that's either low-income or with parents who didn't attend college - or both.

based on students from a family with an income less than $36,000, the national high school graduation rate is 83 percent; for Iowans involved in TRiO programs, it's 98

Upward Bound Helps Again

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 17:59:23 GMT

clipped by: dmegivern
clipper's remarks: It's so nice to know that at least one government program is working.

Clip Source: www.desmoinesregister.com

Alternative school principal gets a chance to give back

It started at the end of his seventh-grade year. At home, Joel locked himself in his room, listened to the radio and read sports biographies. He dreamed of becoming a professional football player and leaving this life behind. At McCombs Middle School, his grades, once all A's, plummeted. In eighth grade, he was twice suspended for fighting. Even in the gifted program, even with top test scores, Joel failed French, English, algebra, science and typing.

Then, in 10th grade, a Lincoln High School guidance counselor told Joel about Upward Bound. The program, which focuses on low-income students whose parents didn't attend college, sounded like a nice escape: six weeks on a college campus, away from home.

And, just like that, things changed. Joel met other teens with difficult childhoods, teens from single-parent homes and whose families struggled financially. He met teens in tougher situations, teens with alcoholic parents