For high school students with special needs, failing a class or receiving an incomplete not only impacts them academically, but emotionally as well. As they watch their classmates move ahead as they fall behind, many experience a sense of isolation and a hit to their self-esteem.
For many students, the need to recover only one or two course credits is all that stands between them and graduating from high school. It’s important to monitor student progress in order to recognize the signs that a student may drop out and provide personalized support early enough to be effective. With alternative options and the right support, at-risk students can successfully reach their goal of graduation.
This is the time of year when we celebrate our students and watch them walk across the stage and into the next phase of their lives. Graduating from high school is a milestone that provides an entry into college, career and the next step in life, but unfortunately, there are far too many students who are not making this transition. Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States. That’s one student every 26 seconds, or 7,000 a day, according to the U.S. Department of Education.