John Edwards for President-Helping Every Child Graduate Through Multiple Pathways

Helping Every Child Graduate Through Multiple Pathways

John Edwards believes that high school dropout rates are unacceptably high. We must redouble our efforts to create the opportunities that students need to earn a high school diploma with the skills and knowledge they need to continue their education. As president he will:

Reform Our Schools, Starting in the Early Grades: Children do not drop out overnight; they start dropping out years earlier as they fall behind in their classes and disengage from school. Edwards supports strong early childhood education programs to help more students start school ready to learn. He will recruit more excellent teachers where they are needed most and, because of the strong connection between poor literacy skills and dropping out, increase funding for the Striving Readers program to help students struggling to read and write in grades four and up. And he believes that our education system should help children develop the skills they need for the future in math and science, creativity and critical thinking.
Create Second Chance Schools and Other Paths to Graduation: Surveys find that dropouts almost universally express regret over leaving school; as adults, 81 percent say that graduating from high school is important to success in life. Because one size does not fit all children, Edwards believes we must create multiple pathways to high school graduation. He will create "second chance" schools to help former dropouts return to school and earn their diploma with flexible class times and locations and connections to youth development services. He will also support alternatives for students at risk of dropping out, such as smaller schools and classes, academically rigorous alternative schools, flexible and accelerated schedules, academic and other support services, and engaging coursework connected to real life experiences. New York City has achieved successes with its transfer schools and young adult borough centers. Edwards also supports proven programs like Job Corps and YouthBuild USA. [Civic Enterprises, 2006; NYC Department of Education, 2006]
Balance Accountability Systems to Reward Progress in Graduation: Test scores alone cannot measure a school. In fact, an overemphasis on test scores can unintentionally create incentives to push out low-scoring students. Edwards believes that No Child Left Behind should be fixed to reward higher graduation rates, including the enrollment of former dropouts, as well as higher test scores.

Today's proposals build on the rest of Edwards' agenda to strengthen schools and make college affordable:

Invest in Teachers: Studies bear out what parents already know: nothing is more important to children's success than their teachers. Our country needs to invest more in recruiting, training and paying teachers like the professionals they are. Edwards will attract good teachers in rural, urban and other schools where we need them most with college scholarships and higher pay. Because the hardest time in a teacher's career is the first couple of years, he will pair new teachers with successful veteran "master teachers."
Expand Access to Early Childhood Education: High-quality education for young children can have a large impact on their later success in school and in life. Young people who are enrolled in preschool programs are more likely to graduate from high school, own homes, and earn more as adults. With its Smart Start program, North Carolina has been a national leader in early education. As president, Edwards will expand Head Start and other programs that offer access to early childhood education. [High/Scope Educational Research Foundation, 2005]
Expand College Opportunity: College graduates can expect to earn $1 million more over their lifetimes than high school graduates, and their children are almost twice as likely to attend college. An estimated 200,000 college-qualified graduates fail to go to college each year. As president, Edwards will pass a College for Everyone program - based on the successful model he helped start in North Carolina - to pay one year of public-college tuition, fees and books for more than 2 million students. In return, students will be required to work part-time, take a college-prep curriculum in high school, and stay out of trouble. Edwards will also simplify the student aid application and help every Title I high school hire an additional counselor. [College Summit, 2007; Dynarski, 1999]