The steps we take as early as kindergarten can keep a student in class clear through high school, reported a recent study at Arizona State University led by Gregory Hickman. The study, published in the Journal of Education Research, tracked students from kindergarten through high school to identify the behaviors that lead to dropping out. "We discovered that as early as kindergarten, differences exist between graduates and dropouts; namely, dropouts miss more school than graduates... Dropouts miss an average of 124 days by eighth grade," the study reported.
The findings suggests that a student dropping out of school is part of a long-term process rather than a single, impulsive act. More importantly, the study argues that drop-out intervention programs that target high-school students may be intervening far too late.
Clearly, we need to be watching students from the very beginning, looking for problem signs (like regular absenteeism), and intervening to help those students achieve a complete education. As Hickman says, "Kids can succeed despite their early history... There are too many windows of opportunity for change."
There are some classic literature short stories animated and narrated for kids to view online:
http://www.adamsmithacademy.org