Response to Wynne's Presentation

There are a number of reasons as to why students opt out of a high school education. Poverty, academic barriers and lack of engagement are just a few that were touched upon in Wynne's presentation. These reasons are cause enough for 39 million people in the United States to not have a high school diploma. There are however, a number of programs that allow individuals to attain a high school equivalency certificate. This was typically acquired through GED prep but has recently been changed to the TASC exam. The TASC exam is modeled after the common core which has been instituted in schools K-12. The common core focuses on a more critical and analytical learning approach. It requires students to deepen their content knowledge of the five disciplines.
The significance of a high school diploma or equivalent is reflected in life earnings. There are direct economic benefits to advancing in education. The workforce which is evolving from unskilled to skilled workers requires more trained employees. This is precisely why attaining a high school equivalent is crucial in the long-term success of individuals.

Can teachers in high schools help those students who are at the brink of dropping out? In a high school in Florida a group of teachers and staff tackle that exact issue. By pinpointing the students with faltering grades, teachers meet to discuss the student's issues and the methods in which they can better reach out to them. Acknowledging that external factors influence learning, the teachers enter a larger scope of awareness. Such programs highlight the preventive measure schools can take to address the growing number of students that are not completing high school.

http://www.npr.org/2014/04/08/300587823/putting-student-data-to-the-test-to-identify-struggling-kids