Boys Town Can Help Turnaround Schools Meet Goals

Did you know that about 12 percent of America’s schools produce 50 percent of the country’s dropouts? Because of this, President Barack Obama declared that his administration is focusing on turning around the 5,000 lowest-performing schools in the nation. The goals are simple: implement professional development programs and restructure the schools to reduce dropout rates, improve graduation rates and better prepare students for college and the working world.

To help, the U.S. Department of Education is providing $4 billion toward the Title I School Improvement Grant Program. To apply for this grant, states must identify the lowest-performing schools in economically challenged communities and design a plan to transform those schools using one of four intervention models: the turnaround model, the restart model, the transformation model or school closure.

Boys Town has the experience and proficiency to help turnaround schools achieve excellence. The Boys Town Education Model, based on the renowned Boys Town Model for discipline, provides a detailed plan for professional development that engages students in their learning, thereby reducing dropout rates, reducing truancy, improving graduation rates and preparing students for what lies ahead after high school.

The Boys Town Education model has been successfully used in turnaround schools in Chicago, producing outstanding results in just one year. These schools, in areas where gang activity, violence and poverty reign, have defined the goals of turnaround schools in Chicago Public Schools, as well as around the nation.

A recent example of the Boys Town Education Model at work is Harper High School, located in the West Englewood neighborhood of Chicago’s South Side. The school’s neighborhood is an area high in crime, violence and gang activity.

After implementing the Boys Town Education Model, Harper High school experienced outstanding improvements between the 2007–2008 school year and the 2008–2009 school year: Attendance increased more than 15 percent. Freshmen on-track to graduate increased 26 percent. Serious student misconduct decreased from 1,100 incidents the previous year to 26 incidents.

The following video explains how the Boys Town Education Model helped other turnaround schools in Chicago.

Since 1917, Boys Town has been a beacon of hope for the future for at-risk youths. Over the decades, we have grown to become a renowned leader in the care and treatment of children and families. Boys Town is a recognized leader in the research field, and our experts are nationally respected in their fields.

The Boys Town Model and the Boys Town Education Model are proven, effective programs to improve and bring results-driven success to turnaround schools across the United States.

If you would like more information about how to implement the Boys Town Education Model into your school, click here ›