Philly’s dropout rate is declining. Here’s how the district is keeping kids in class.

“Sign up for Chalkbeat Philadelphia’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system. Shervon Thompson, principal of Philadelphia’s Murrell Dobbins High School, knows students are at risk of dropping out of her school for many reasons. Some have pressure to work or have trouble finding transportation to school. Others are dealing with trauma from gun violence, a death in the family, or sickness. Whatever the challenge, Thompson said her approach is consistent: make sure students feel like school is a place where they belong and are supported. “The first thing is just to make sure that school is seen as a safe haven,” said Thompson. “And try to fill up as many of those resources that we can possibly do to fulfill those needs.” Dropout rates nationally have declined steadily over the past decade . But in Philadelphia, the number of student dropouts has historically been much higher than the state average. After the pandemic pushed school online, dropout rates spiked still further. To reverse that trend, Philly has doubled down on hiring staff and contracting with organizations to support and track down students at risk of dropping out. It also reminds families that they can opt to enroll in a district-operated virtual school if students want to stay at home. So far, that effort appears to be working. Last year, a record low of around 1,300 students dropped out, representing roughly 2.3% of students enrolled in grades 7-12, according to state data. That’s around half the dropout rate from a decade ago, when Philly had one of the highest dropout rates of any Pennsylvania school district. Though the district’s dropout rate remains higher than the state average, dozens of other districts are in worse shape. This school year so far, district data shows around 1,275 students dropped out as of April. At Dobbins, the improvement is especially pronounced: During the 2021-22 school year, 66 students dropped out, but last year, just 19 students did. Melvin Marshall, the district’s assistant superintendent of student dropout prevention, attributes the success to the district’s increased efforts to reach kids and families before they’re absent from school too long. “The old practice was that you would drop that student after a certain number of days (out of school),” said Marshall. But now, his team of five focuses on reaching out to those families or students who have been absent for multiple days in a row. Some schools, including Dobbins, also employ staff to work with kids at risk of dropping out and check on them. And the district contracts with Concentric Educational Solutions, a Baltimore-based education company, to conduct home visits. “A big part of it is just reaching out to families, finding out the core reasons why the student is not attending school,” Marshall said. To prevent dropouts, district shares online alternatives District officials say their success in reducing the number of dropouts is the result of several initiatives working well together. The district’s 9th Grade Success Network operates in around 30 schools to help students during their first year of high school stay on-track to graduation. District leaders have also said they’re looking to expand a 10th grade support program to keep students on track to graduation. That follows research from Chicago that found supporting students earlier in high school can significantly improve graduation rates. “The sooner you can intervene or give support, so that students aren’t withdrawing, the more effective you can be,” said Elaine Allensworth, executive director of the UChicago Consortium on School Research who led the research on keeping students on-track in earlier grades. Still, those programs don’t reach every student in the district. That’s why it’s important for schools to have good systems to monitor students who are absent and follow up with them to check in and provide support, Allensworth said. Marshall said his team works to be sensitive and responsive to the pressures on many students and families that can lead to dropping out. Some are concerned about increased immigration enforcement. Others have to care for siblings or earn money to help their families stay afloat. In some circumstances, Marshall said, getting a student back to their current school isn’t the best option. That’s when the district offers alternatives, like the Philadelphia Virtual Academy, a district-run online school. When students transfer to other schools, be it within the district or outside of it, they’re not considered a dropout. Letting families know that there are other ways they can finish their degree can often make all the difference, Marshall said. “Those are the calls that parents are appreciative of,” said Marshall. “We can assist them in pointing them in the right direction to get some of those resources our district can offer.” Rebecca Redelmeier is a reporter at Chalkbeat Philadelphia. She writes about public schools, early childhood education, and issues that affect students, families, and educators across Philadelphia. Contact Rebecca at rredelmeier@chalkbeat.org .

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