MEA Votes

The most exciting thing about the Michigan Dropout Prevention Leadership Summit held today in Lansing was the 500 plus people who gathered to talk about what they can do locally to address the dropout problem. It was great to see a standing-room-only crowd ready to work together – both in and out of school – to try something different in tackling Michigan's dropout crisis.

All these students, parents, educators and community activists need is some support in their efforts. Case in point – nearly every member of a youth panel at the summit said in a single word that what they needed most was "support."

Unfortunately, we may be on our own when it comes to support from the state. Despite the outcry for assistance, state officials at Monday's summit seemed reluctant to commit to the support many insisted was necessary.

MEA and our partner groups are proud to have just spent months traveling the state hearing hundreds of Michigan citizens' concerns and ideas about the dropout crisis. The consensus at the hearings was clear that the action to fix this problem happens at the local level – with the necessary guidance and resources from Lansing. (Check out the final report of the "Dropouts: One is Too Many" hearings at www.mea.org/dropouts.)

For an example of what's needed, you can simply look at what we've been talking about here on this blog about the challenges we face in public education during this important election cycle.

How are students supposed to get the individual, caring attention they need in class sizes north of 30 and with guidance counselors handling caseloads of 500 or more?

How can we find ways of making school relevant for students when the required course content is geared toward a standardized test rather than individual needs? Or when career-tech and alternative programs that deliver on that needed relevance are under constant budget threat?

How are young students supposed to get the building blocks they need to perform high level math and science courses when schools don't have adequate textbooks and supplies?

Moral of the story – how are we supposed to prepare each unique child for success in the 21st century workforce when the only approaches are "one size fits all."

The consensus from the dropout hearings was crystal clear. No one wants lower standards. We want our students to succeed and to go on to great things. All we want – whether we're a teacher or a business leader or a parent or a student – is the support to get more students through to graduation day. That's not an excuse or whining, as some characterize it – it's a request for help. Hopefully our leaders in Lansing and Washington listen to that request and provide the necessary support – for our students' sake.

By Doug Pratt, MEA Communications