Lowell’s Experience at the National Dropout Prevention Center Convention-#4
Wednesday I attended a workshop by some Gwinnette County Georgia teachers who have been gathering data on reducing dropouts among ESE students. While interesting, the workshop raised questions for me. FLVS has been handling ESE students (Students with IEPs - we call them) the same for quite few years. We explain to parents that we do not offer ESE courses, do not have ESE teachers, and do not modify courses for ESE students. We do tell them that we can make many accommodations for ESE students that are commonly found on IEPs and many ESE students are very successful with FLVS. Indeed they are! I’m just wondering if we need to at least look at this ESE situation again. Is there more we could do? Is there more we should do? Do we want to do more? Could we increase their completion rate with certain interventions? I’m just thinking, that’s all.
As the convention winds down and I head home - maybe in time to help Amy and Patty with the Career Webinar Thursday afternoon - I’m starting to reflect on the whole thing here and where FLVS can fit in. It is clear to me that 90% of the interventions to reduce dropout rates focus on hands on, in person, brick & mortar actions. When they talk about mentors and coaches they are talking about physical encounters with students. Most folks here see on-line resources as strictly course and credit recovery related. We could change that if we wanted to. If we wanted to reduce the dropout rate in this country (which is huge) we could provide on-line mentoring, coaching, and tutoring. We can produce on-line career training and expand into blended models with hands-on learning combined with on-line work. We have already shown that we can build relationships (which are essential to the success of any dropout prevention effort) in an on-line environent that are just as strong or stronger than face to face relationships. Kids will respond to us. We know that. I do not know if this is a path FLVS wants to tread. I’m a counselor, so some will dismiss my thoughts a just the ramblings of another “do gooder”. But I am reminded of an old quote and can’t remember the source: “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.” Maybe that applies to us, maybe it doesn’t. It will be clear to anyone reading this that I believe Florida Virtual School is such a powerful and resourceful force in education that we can have a great impact in ths area if we choose to do so.
It is time to get ready and head for home. I’m leaving with a renewed commitment to serve students with the rest of the FLVS staff.
