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Reed to provide college perspective on high school dropout prevention

August 2009

A College of Education faculty member represents the only full-time university professor named to a select group that will explore ways to lower the state's high school dropout rate.

The Alabama State Legislature recently appointed Dr. Cindy Reed, professor of educational leadership and director of the college's Truman Pierce Institute, to the Alabama Select Commission on High School Graduation and Student Dropouts. The commission, created by the legislature, is charged with developing effective and specific plans for new strategies, programs and efforts to increase on-time high school graduation rates. Lowering Alabama's high school dropout rate, which currently exceeds 30 percent, is critical to improving the state's economic well-being, creating employment opportunities and lowering crime rates.

"High school dropout rates are unacceptably high in Alabama and elsewhere,'' Reed said. "In my opinion, the work of the commission is incredibly important in that students who drop out of school not only limit their own opportunities in life, but their actions impact all who live in the communities around them in terms of potential economic development, crime rates and other quality of life issues.''

The commission will study the problems and patterns of high school dropouts in Alabama, as well as their educational and economic impact on the state and local communities. In addition to examining graduation and dropout rates in the state, commission members will research best practices and factors related to student success, the social and economic consequences of dropping out of school, laws and policies that must be addressed in order to develop more effective strategies and support systems for K-12 students.

The Select Commission on High School Graduation and Dropouts includes eight members of the Alabama State Legislature, four state business, community and civic leaders appointed by Gov. Bob Riley, four legal, philanthropic and educational leaders identified by Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb and four educational leaders, including Reed, who were chosen by Alabama State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton.

State Sen. Arthur Orr serves as the commission's chair.

"By convening a bi-partisan group with representation from multiple constituency groups, I am hopeful that we will be able to develop and then enact policies and approaches that will address the numerous issues influencing a young person's decision about whether or not to remain in school,'' Reed said.

As director of the Truman Pierce Institute, Reed provides an especially valuable resource for the commission. A research and outreach unit of the College of Education, the institute works in partnership with local and regional school systems to reduce dropout rates through a number of initiatives, including training for student tutors participating in 21^st Century Community Learning Centers and offering professional develop and training opportunities for school administrators and educators.

"Building Individual Capacities for Success (BICS),'' a high school completion/dropout prevention pilot program introduced in five high schools, represents one of the Truman Pierce Institute's many innovative initiatives. Funded for four years by the AT&T Foundation, BICS programming focuses on the strengths and interests of students while offering opportunities to learn and apply lessons in leadership development, global awareness, service learning, mentoring and action research.

"Much of the work of the Truman Pierce Institute in recent years has focused on ways to learn from students what works and what does not in terms of their own learning and then find ways to overcome barriers to their learning while enhancing the conditions that facilitate their learning,'' Reed said.

Last Updated: May 16, 2011