By Richard Marquez Texans Can!
There is another victim of the turning economy that many do not consider. It is the education of our States at-risk youth. As economic hardships for low-income families increase pressure rises for work-age children to enter the workforce to add financial contributions to the family. We especially see an increase in this during the Holiday months. For many students the traditional school format does not meet their familys needs. If they leave high school the long term costs are heavy to both the individuals and to society.
Educators business owners city state and federal funders must join forces to create programs so that at-risk youth do not fall victim to financial pressures and choose to drop out.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently spoke of his optimism about President Obamas stimulus package which includes education funding. The dollars will not only save or create jobs but will also begin much needed education reform.
As a community we also need to acknowledge the importance now more than ever of keeping our children in school to earn a high school diploma.
With the workforce shrinking during a downturn economy competition in labor rises. Those without employable skills and who have not completed their basic education will be left to rely on taxpayers support. High school dropouts impose significant lifetime costs on society.
Statistics show that in Texas 656 students drop out of school each day or one student every two and a half minutes. High school drop-outs will cost the United States more than $325 billion in lost wages taxes and productivity over their lifetime.
In 2007 a Columbia University conference concluded that high school drop-outs are more likely to be unemployed receive public assistance commit crimes and become incarcerated. At the same time they are less likely to receive job-based health insurance and pension plans be healthy and live as long vote and make other types of civic contributions.
The community at large benefits when more students graduate from high school -- by saving taxpayer dollars for public assistance programs expanding tax revenues reducing crime and increasing the likelihood they will become good
citizens.
Texans Can! is a Dallas-based free public high school which operates under a charter from the state of Texas for at-risk disadvantaged youth who have failed for a variety of reasons to succeed in a traditional school environment. Our target population is at-risk students who have problems within the confines of a regular school setting. They have either dropped out of school failed a grade are academically behind their peers are economically disadvantaged and/or cannot continue their education because of lifes happenings.
But they wish to finish school despite their circumstances.
Many of these students did not thrive in the traditional education systems. They have either fallen behind because of numerous moves the need to work during school hours to support themselves and their family or they need to make a change of campus environments.
The school day for Texans Can! students is divided into two four-hour sessions. We provide accelerated programs that are grounded in research-based strategies that spring from standards-based education. The four-hour school day also provides the opportunity for our students to work.
There are now
10 Texans Can! campuses in Texas providing programs for 9th 12th graders. Each school has open enrollment and is tuition free for any student who wants to continue their high school education.
There is a demonstrated need to provide alternative high school education options for more students in this situation.
Dont let the education of the at-risk youth of Texas fall victim to this economy.
Their burden will quickly become ours.
During this Holiday Season Texans should help support schools like Texans Can! as an investment in these students as well as in our communities.
Richard Marquez is president & CEO of Texans Can! whose ten campuses in Texas provide a second chance for at-risk youth and their families to achieve economic independence and hope for a better life through relationship-based education and training. To learn more about Texans Can! visit www.texanscan.org.
