The Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy

Raise the Age, Lower the Dropout Rate?: Policy Considerations for Raising the Compulsory Age of Attendance

Join us for the release of a policy brief and a policy discussion exploring the opportunities and challenges of raising the compulsory attendance age in Massachusetts.

Session Overview

In the United States, nearly 1.23 million public school students from the class of 2008 failed to graduate with a diploma. In Massachusetts, 91 students drop out of high school each day. Nationally, and in our state, there has been much recent attention paid to the dropout crisis. One initiative being used by states in their efforts to reduce the dropout rate is to increase the compulsory attendance age. In Massachusetts, the current compulsory attendance age is 16.

The passage of a new law in August 2008 led to the establishment of a state-level Graduation and Dropout Prevention and Recovery Commission. The Commission is charged with making informed recommendations on ten issues, including whether or not the compulsory attendance age should be raised from 16 to 18.

The Rennie Center will present a policy brief intended to answer the question, “Is there empirical evidence to support Massachusetts raising its compulsory attendance age to 18?” This presentation will be followed by a presentation by Civic Enterprises that argues for raising the compulsory attendance age. Next, a panel of policymakers and community leaders will share their perspectives on the question of “raising the age.”

Note: At an April 7th broadcast, WGBH and WBUR will be discussing this issue as part of their Project Dropout series. For more information, click here.

Welcoming Remarks
Jill Norton, Executive Director, Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy

Research Presentation
Lisa Famularo, Research Director, Rennie Center for Education Research and Policy
Mary McNaught, Chief of Staff, Civic Enterprises

Moderated Panel Discussion

Joshua Dohan, Youth Advocacy Project, Committee for Public Counsel Services
Claudio Martinez, Executive Director, Hyde Square Task Force
Representative Emma Rous, Chair, Education Committee, New Hampshire State Legislature
Representative Marie St. Fleur, Vice-Chair, House Committee on Ways & Means, Massachusetts State Legislature

Moderator: Monica Brady-Myerov, WBUR

Closing Remarks

Neil Sullivan, Executive Director, Boston Private Industry Council

REGISTRATION

Call the Rennie Center reservation line at 617-354-0002, ext. 13 or register online using the registration form below. Registration is free, however space is limited and available on a first come, first served basis.

About the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy

The Rennie Center's mission is to develop a public agenda that informs and promotes significant improvement of public education in Massachusetts. Our work is motivated by a vision of an education system that creates the opportunity to educate every child to be successful in life, citizenship, employment and life-long learning. Applying nonpartisan, independent research, and civic engagement, the Center is creating a civil space to foster thoughtful public discourse to inform and shape effective policy.

The Youth Transitions Task Force was convened by Mayor Thomas M. Menino in October of 2004 to address the dropout crisis facing Boston and other urban districts throughout the country. Staffed by the Boston Private Industry Council, the Task Force includes about fifty representatives from the Boston Public Schools, community-based organizations, city departments and state agencies. The Task Force meets monthly to coordinate activities, including research, mobilization for change, new practices and policy recommendations. Our research and recommendations are published in Too Big To Be Seen, The Dropout Crisis in Boston and America, and the Social and Fiscal Consequences of Dropping Out. The Task Force is currently focused on identifying solutions to the problem.