By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-819670.mp3
Dallas, TX – North Texas students are benefiting from a statewide dropout prevention program, according to an independent, out-of-state consultant. KERA's Bill Zeeble has more.
A Texas Education Agency program called Communities In Schools now reaches nearly 90 thousand at risk students. The TEA's DeEtta Culbertson says that includes teens who test poorly, miss class, & have personal or family problems.
DeEtta Culbertson: That's 90 thousand kids who could have dropped out of school that year or subsequent years. But because of the successful engagement, support, and programs that Communities In Schools provides, they were able to keep those students in school. And those numbers continue to improve.
Programs are in place in north Texas at Dallas, Collin and Ellis county school districts. They include Carrollton/Farmers Branch, Dallas, Irving, McKinney and Richardson. The TEA is seeking additional public and private money to expand the program praised by a Virginia consultant as a Best Practice.