Advertisement

U.S. must lower high school dropout rate

Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell (R) and his wife Alma listen to U.S. President Barack Obama speak at an America's Promise Alliance education event in Washington on March 1, 2010. President Obama announced new steps to improve the nation's schools and cited the Alliance, founded by former secretary of State Colin Powell, as an example of a partnership organization dedicated to improving the lives of America's children and youth. UPI/Mike Theiler
Former Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell (R) and his wife Alma listen to U.S. President Barack Obama speak at an America's Promise Alliance education event in Washington on March 1, 2010. President Obama announced new steps to improve the nation's schools and cited the Alliance, founded by former secretary of State Colin Powell, as an example of a partnership organization dedicated to improving the lives of America's children and youth. UPI/Mike Theiler | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- The United States needs the equivalent of World War II's Marshall Plan to increase the number of high school graduates, an education report recommended.

The report, released Tuesday by Gen. Colin Powell's America's Promise Alliance, said the United States has the ability to end what it calls an epidemic of high school dropouts.

Advertisement

America's Promise Alliance said it is partnering with Civic Enterprises and John Hopkins University's Everyone Graduates Center to develop and advance a "Civic Marshall Plan" to build a national of graduates.

"Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic" said the country is seeing the first positive signs of progress in reducing the number of students who leave high school without a diploma.

Nationwide, the number of "dropout factory" high schools fell by 13 percent from 2,007 in 2002 to 1,746 in 2008, the report said.

The report highlights four case studies of success where graduation rates improved at high schools in Tennessee, Alabama, Richmond, Indiana and New York City.

America's Promise Alliance, chaired by Gen. Powell's wife, Alma, is a cross-sector partnership of more than 400 corporations, non-profits, faith-based organizations and advocacy groups dedicated to improving the lives of children.

Advertisement

Latest Headlines