Communities Empowering Graduation
For All Students
Arizona Dropout Prevention Leadership Summit
January 15, 2010
Desert Willow Conference Center
8:00am ¾ 3:30pm
Sharing the Vision of High School Graduation for All Students
For our youth to thrive in today’s global economy, they must graduate from high school ready for post-secondary education and the workforce. The consequences of dropping out of school are unacceptable. Research is clear and compelling—education success in high school and beyond matters to a lifetime of employment options, earning potential, family support, health and civic engagement. The consequences of high dropout rates translate to communities as lost tax revenue, as well as higher monetary and social costs. Communities can only be economically vibrant when their residents are engaged in lifelong learning beginning with a quality high school diploma. It is in our children’s, our communities’, and our state’s best interest to succeed in graduating more young people from quality high schools, and we have many models of this success around the state and nation.
While schools are at the heart of this discussion, high school graduation is a symptom of success (or failure) that has been built over the course of a young person’s life. To tackle the symptom, communities need to work in partnership to pledge that all of our young people will be Ready by 21 — ready for post-secondary, for work, for life.
Now is the time to share this vision with others in your community and around the state.