Linking Dropout Rates to Economic Recovery | SXSWedu

Initiatives to increase graduation rates are underway nationwide, but students who have dropped out are still being left behind. The window for earning a diploma has closed on tens of millions of Americans who have “aged-out,” leaving them underprepared for the demands of the workforce and often bound in poverty. It’s not just a social issue; these underserved populations represent a cost totaling trillions in the coming decades. We can curb that trend with smart, cost-effective workforce development initiatives, but we have to act now. We’ll discuss innovative ideas that reengage adult students, reactivate their potential and prevent them from being left behind in the 21st century economy.