In an op-ed last year, I speculated that the high minority drop-out rate in St. Louis was caused by a lack of educational choices for students. A new website that’s trying to get Los Angeles drop-outs back in school supports my theory. On every page, the site emphasizes options and choices, and describes the variety of ways in which students can continue their educations. Here’s a quote from a Diploma Project Adviser:
“Students in this community need one-to-one attention — they need to know that somebody really does care about their future. There are so many options available to help students get their diploma, but they aren’t always aware they have choices."
Let’s see if this approach works better than the one-size-fits-all attitude of many districts. If it’s successful in L.A., St. Louis should consider offering its own dropouts more choices to lure them back.
