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Innovation Partners’ Missions Support and Enhance National Dropout Prevention Center’s Work 

Anderson, SC—(August 9, 2018)—The National Dropout Prevention Center announces Achieve3000, a provider of online education-related professional learning experiences, as its latest Innovation Partner. Innovation Partners are businesses, individuals or companies whose dedication in advancing efforts to reduce dropout rates nationwide align closely with the mission of the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC).

“Combating high school dropout rates is critical and efforts require collaboration among all stakeholders in the education system, including schools, parents, communities, legislators, and practitioners,” said Sandy Addis, Director of the National Dropout Prevention Center. “Innovation Partners share our determination to increase graduation rates through increasing awareness and opportunities for all students. We are excited that Achieve3000 has joined us in achieving our mission.”

Headquartered in Lakewood, NJ, Achieve3000 developed and utilizes an advanced online model of differentiated instruction for grades PreK-12 and adult education to meet instructional needs to ensure students master the literacy skills required for success in school and beyond. The company has created the only literacy platform that uses a patented instructional model to improve literacy across the content areas and drive college and career readiness.

“Achieve3000 has a 17-year track record of significantly accelerating students’ literacy gains and dramatically increasing college and career readiness,” noted Stuart Udell, CEO of Achieve3000. “Literacy growth is instrumental in preventing students from disengaging in their education process, which often leads them to drop out. We are deeply committed to the work of the National Dropout Prevention Center’s work to help students stay in school and graduate.”

The mission of the NDPC is to provide teachers, counselors, https://dropoutprevention.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/C.W.-Gardenhire-pic.jpgistrators, and school districts with effective, research-based solutions to help eliminate dropout, including identification and support of at-risk students. As an Innovation Partner, Achieve3000 allows NDPC to increases its capacity to provide stakeholders with access to information regarding dropout prevention, intervention and recovery resources, research and best practices.

Achieve3000 joins the National Dropout Prevention Center’s other Innovation Partners DeeperDive Learning, Scholastic and WIN Learning.

About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts nationwide. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the NDPC impacts education from the local to the national level.

About Achieve3000

Achieve3000® is the leading literacy platform in today’s blended learning programs, with cloud-based solutions that serve nearly three million students worldwide. Based on decades of scientific research, Achieve3000’s patented and proven differentiated instruction for grades PreK-12 and adult education reaches all students at their individual reading levels, with 12 levels in English and 8 in Spanish, to accelerate learning, improve high stakes test performance, and drive college and career success. The company’s global headquarters is in Lakewood, NJ. Learn more at www.achieve3000.com.

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For Additional Information Contact:
Lynn Dunlap
National Dropout Prevention Center
Phone: 864-642-6372 Ext.105
Email: ldunlap@199.250.201.124

By Dr. Sandy Addis, Director, National Dropout Prevention Center

Anderson, S.C. (August 7, 2018) – The American economy is prospering, it’s back-to-school time, October is National Dropout Prevention Month, and our future depends on how we understand and connect the three.

Multiple indicators reflect a welcome degree of prosperity in many sectors of the American economy.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported that over 155 million members of our population are employed with a national unemployment rate of only 3.9%. Wages are on the rise, “Help Wanted” and “Now Hiring” signs are seen in windows and on billboards, and there are increasing levels of investor optimism and consumer confidence. Yet the overall rate of labor force participation (the percent of us who work) is projected to decline in coming years due to aging and the looming retirement of our current adult population. Jobs are increasingly available for those who qualify, wages are improving, and, if we are fortunate, these prosperity indicators will continue and benefit all sectors of the economy and all segments of our population.

In the coming weeks, schools will welcome students back from summer break. Teachers will prepare classrooms and opening lessons, parents will be thankfully anxious about their children’s school opening experiences, and school leaders will concern themselves with policies, budgets, school buildings, and student achievement. Political figures, policy makers, parents, and educators will concern themselves with measures of school quality and the degree to which schools, districts, and states are improving, meeting the needs of students, and graduating students ready for the workplace and life. Depending on those we listen to, what we consider, and where we look, schools will be judged as exceptional, good, fair, or even poor as they welcome students for another school year.

In October, National Dropout Prevention Month, the media, educators, and certainly the National Dropout Prevention Center will remind us that nationally, only 84% of students who begin ninth grade receive a diploma four years later. We’ll be reminded that, while a few states such as Iowa, New Jersey, and West Virginia report graduation rates of 90% or higher, others such as New Mexico, Nevada, and the District of Columbia report rates in the low 70% range. We’ll be reminded that while the national graduation rate is 84%, some ethnic groups such as Black students are at only 76%, Hispanic students at only 79%, and American Indian students at only 72%. During National Dropout Prevention Month, we’ll be reminded that in some states, Hispanic students graduate at rates as much as 22% below White students, and Black students as much as 29% below white students (2015-16, National Center for Educational Statistics).

So how are economic prosperity, the schools that our students return to, the dropout issue, and our future connected? America runs on graduates, the labor supply of young people who have basic skills, job skills, people skills, and who are able to join the workforce of a thriving economy. These work-ready and life-ready graduates are produced in large numbers by effective, high quality, and efficient schools that do a good job of meeting the personal and academic needs of students, the expectations of parents, and the workforce needs of communities. Work-ready and life-ready graduates are much less likely to flow in large numbers from low-performing schools. Dropouts are almost never the work-ready and life-ready graduates that are essential to our thriving economy. Hundreds of thousands of dropouts, the 16% of every entering ninth grade class, deprive our economy of the workforce it runs on. Hundreds of thousands of dropouts, the 21% of Hispanic students who fail to graduate or the 24% of Black students who fail to graduate, further distance these segments of our population from the general economic prosperity. Unless we find a way to graduate higher numbers of work-ready and life-ready graduates who can participate in our prospering economy, we’ll lose that prosperity.

In a time of high demand for qualified workers, rising wages, and an aging and retiring population, a graduation rate of only 84% won’t sustain the economy. We all have a stake in solving our dropout problem and it’s not just a school problem. Research by the National Dropout Prevention Center indicates that only a third of the risk factors lined to dropouts are within the control of schools. The rest are in homes and in the communities. We all, educators, parents and family members, community leaders, government officials, and the business community, must familiarize ourselves with, and do our part to address, the dropout issue.

About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention, and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the work of the Center has made an impact on education from the local to the national level.

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Dr. Sandy Addis, Director, National Dropout Prevention Center

 

Lynn Dunlap
Assistant Director
National Dropout Prevention Center
713 E. Greenville St.
Suite D, #108
Anderson, SC 29621
(864) 642-6372 x 105

ldunlap@199.250.201.124
www.dropoutprevention.org

National Dropout Prevention Center and the Institute for Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Education (EDIE) Partnership Announced

 Research Fellows to Play Key Role in Continuing EDIE Mission

Anderson, S.C. (August 1, 2018) – The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC), the nation’s leading dropout prevention resource, announces its partnership with the Institute for Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Education (EDIE), an organization long known for its academic contributions to advancements in educational research and practices.

The partnership capitalizes on both organizations’ work in identifying effective classroom strategies while also continuing distribution and promotion of EDIE’s extensive body of intellectual property and publications. These publications will significantly enhance NDPC’s existing collection of effective dropout prevention strategies for all students, particularly for those who struggle.

Under the terms of the agreement, NDPC Research Fellows, academic researchers from across the nation who support NDPC’s mission through communication, service, networking and advocacy, will play a key role in the partnership. The Research Fellows, currently chaired by Dr. Delores (Dee) Stegelin, Professor Emeritus of Early Childhood Education at Clemson University, will be expanded in the coming year and a part of their work will focus on conducting research closely related to the EDIE mission. In addition, a Myles I. Friedman Fellowship, named in honor of the organization’s founder, will be awarded to facilitate editing and updating of EDIE publications.

Terms of the NDPC/EDIE partnership include the allocation of funds to support the work of the NDPC Research Fellows, the distribution of 10 EDIE publications to NDPC members and service clients at affordable prices through the NDPC online store and the update of EDIE publications by NDPC Research Fellows and staff to reflect most current research findings.

“The EDIE partnership significantly increases the quantity of academic research available through the NDPC,” said Sandy Addis, Director of NDPC. “We are excited that EDIE has agreed to work with us to continue the research and publications available to help address the nation’s dropout rates.”

“EDIE is pleased to partner with NDPC to advance the mission of both organizations to improve classroom instruction,” said Dr. Charles Hatch, President of EDIE.

Dr. Sam Drew, Vice President of EDIE and founder of the NDPC Fellows Program during his tenure as NDPC Interim Executive Director said, “EDIE is particularly pleased to support, advance, and expand the work of the NDPC Research Fellows through this partnership.”

 

About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the work of the Center has made an impact on education from the local to the national level.

For Additional Information Contact:
Lynn Dunlap
National Dropout Prevention Center
Phone: 864-642-6372 Ext.105
Email: ldunlap@199.250.201.124

 

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Nation’s Leading School Improvement Non-Profits Join Forces

 National Dropout Prevention Center Merges With Successful Practices Network

Anderson, SC—(June 13, 2018)—The states of South Carolina and New York have formally approved the merger of two nationally recognized non-profit organizations that have historically guided and supported much of the nation’s school improvement efforts. This merger brings together the resources, research, tools, publications, expertise, and support capacity of the nation’s leading school improvement non-profit, Successful Practices Network (SPN), and the nation’s leading dropout prevention non-profit, the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC). This merger will facilitate the integration of both organizations’ extensive collection of resources and make school improvement support more readily available to the nation’s schools and education leaders.

The Successful Practices Network (SPN) was founded by Dr. Bill Daggett in 2003 with initial funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and focused on identifying and disseminating best practices in K-12 schools across the United States. SPN has continued to grow as a national non-profit supporting sustainable and scalable improvements to the K-12 education system. The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) was founded as a national non-profit in 1986, was supported by and housed at Clemson University for almost 30 years and is currently the nation’s go-to source of information and support for educators and school leaders seeking to improve student outcomes and graduation rates. Both organizations have supported thousands of schools and districts in all 50 states and continue to serve as thought leaders and drivers of sustained improvement nationally.

The merger resulted from SPN’s desire to increase the focus of its school improvement work on graduation and college/career readiness outcomes and from NDPC’s desire for broader distribution and use of its research-based strategies that are known to improve student success and graduation rates. After months of discussion, leaders and governing boards of SPN and NDPC agreed that the merger was a win-win-win for the two organizations and most important for the nation’s students, educators, and schools.

The benefits of this merger for educators, schools, school districts, and states seeking to improve schools and to improve graduation rates are significant. The availability of research-to-practice guidance, leadership support, professional development, policy consultation and practical tools from a single non-profit organization on a national scale will save school reform leaders time and money. The multiple-source and sometimes duplicated delivery of school and graduation rate improvement support that has produced moderate gains for our nation’s schools to date is now replaced by a consolidated, more efficient, and easier-to-access source of needed assistance. Going forward, the single and larger non-profit organization will offer more cost-effective options for investing in student outcomes and a better way for schools, school districts, and states to secure services and technical assistance.

Under terms of the merger, NDPC will function financially and operationally as a unit of SPN. Governance of the merged non-profit will reside with the SPN Board of Directors and activities of NDPC will be guided by the NDPC Advisory Board. All existing offerings and services of both organizations will be continued but will be expanded, enhanced and more readily available because of the merger. The combined staffs and financial resources of SPN and NDPC will produce increased quality and quantity of research, conference offerings, and on-site technical assistance for schools, school districts and states.

The Successful Practices Network will continue to be guided by its Chairman, Dr. Bill Daggett, with staff members spread across multiple states and operations coordinated from SPN’s headquarters in Rexford, NY. The National Dropout Prevention Center will continue to be led by its Executive Director, Dr. Sandy Addis, with staff and operations headquartered in Anderson, SC. SPN and NDPC staff members will work both individually and in cross-organizational teams to organize conference events, conduct research, generate publications, deliver services, and develop new school and graduation rate improvement solutions and services. SPN’s long-time practice of identifying model schools and practices, disseminating lessons learned and best practices, and guiding and coaching school leaders will continue and be expanded. NDPC’s services will continue to include web-based and in-person professional development in at-risk student services and effective dropout prevention strategies, Dropout Prevention Specialist Certification and production of research-to-practice guides. NDPC’s Research Fellows Program that currently represents six major research universities will be expanded to include more universities and to expedite research output. SPN and NDPC will work together to increase services to each organization’s network of subscribing members.

Regarding the merger, Dr. Daggett stated, “Since the inception of the Successful Practices Network we have been focused on and committed to helping schools better prepare ALL students for success in school and for the world beyond school. The National Dropout Prevention Center has more than three decades of serving as the nation’s premier resource for systems and professionals seeking to address the challenges of increasing graduation rates and readiness for our most challenged students. The SPN/NDPC merger will enable our collective organization to make a continued and sustained impact for ALL students.”

 

About the National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
The NDPC was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention, and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s website—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs) for schools and districts. By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the work of the Center has made an impact on education from the local to the national level.

About Successful Practices Network (SPN)
As a non-profit organization, Successful Practices Network’s mission is to provide customized coaching and access to a deep Member and content database by tailoring the organization’s flexible offering to schools and districts. SPN was founded in 2003 by Dr. Bill Daggett, and lead by Ray McNulty, with an initial five-year grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. SPN has since won multiple additional grants to conduct proprietary research and to create exclusive instructional and assessment tools. In 2007, SPN developed the WE Suite of Surveys to measure and support stakeholder perceptions regarding rigor, relevance, learner engagement, leadership and school culture. Those original surveys are now joined by focused surveys for career readiness, academic tenacity, human capital development and other areas to continue supporting schools and districts. For more information, go to www.spnetwork.org.

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For Additional Information Contact:
Lynn Dunlap
National Dropout Prevention Center
Phone: 864-642-6372 Ext.105
Email: ldunlap@199.250.201.124

National Dropout Prevention Network Board Member Chosen to Helm Nationwide Education Company

Stuart Udell, Longtime Board Member, Now CEO of Achieve3000

Anderson, SC—(May 2, 2018)—Stuart Udell, longtime National Dropout Prevention Network (NDPN) Board member and former Board Chair, has been named the Chief Executive Officer of Achieve3000, a company that developed an advanced online model of differentiated instruction. Udell, who served most recently as CEO of K-12, Inc, is a nationally recognized leader in online and blended learning educational delivery systems and is credited with transforming several other educational companies in his 25-year career before joining Achieve3000.

“I am thrilled to join a company that believes so strongly in the promise of every child – that all students can have the opportunity to graduate from high school with the skills needed for college and career success, regardless of background or reading level,” said Udell. “This is a dynamic time for the company.  I look forward to building a plan to accelerate growth with the core model, while assessing opportunities to expand through new products and services in addition to entry into new markets.”

“Stuart Udell has been instrumental in advancing the National Dropout Prevention Network’s mission,” said Dr. Sandy Addis, Executive Director of NDPN. “As a former Board Chair, he directed the organization to achieve and surpass its goals. As a Board member for 16 years, Stuart continues to dedicate his career to improving educational outcomes for all students. I have no doubt his selection as CEO of Achieve3000 will help propel that organization in the same way Stuart has led other companies to success.”

At Achieve3000, Udell will guide a company that provides proven solutions for grades PreK-12 and adult education that meet every instructional need to ensure all students master the literacy skills required for success in school and beyond. Achieve3000 has created the only literacy platform that uses a patented instructional model to improve literacy across the content areas and drive college and career readiness by combining summative and embedded formative assessments with differentiated instruction, so students always see content and supports at their just-right reading level. With lessons customized for individual state standards and curricula, and anytime/anywhere access, the Achieve3000 platform ensures every student can participate in grade-level instruction.

 

Udell joined Achieve3000 with extensive leadership experience in the education industry. He served as CEO of K12 Inc., the nation’s largest operator of virtual schools and Executive Chairman and CEO of Catapult Learning, a school operator and provider of Title I instructional services. He was also CEO of Penn Foster, a global leader in high school and career-focused online learning and spent the 11 years prior at Kaplan, most recently as President of Kaplan K12 Learning Services, where he built the K-12 school division. Udell also served as President of the School Renaissance Institute, a division of Renaissance Learning, and years later joined the company’s board of directors.

 

Udell has spent the last 16 years on the board of the National Dropout Prevention Network, where he was recognized for his substantial contribution as Chairman. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Successful Practices Network, the Foundation for Blended and Online Learning, USATestPrep, and Ventris Learning. He received the Education Warrior Award from the I Have a Dream Foundation. Udell holds an MBA from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University.

 

About the National Dropout Prevention Center/Network (NDPC/N)
The NDPC/N was begun in 1986 to serve as a clearinghouse on issues related to dropout prevention, and to offer strategies designed to increase the graduation rate in America’s schools. Over the years, the NDPC/N has become a well-established national resource for sharing solutions for student success. It does so through its clearinghouse function, active research and evaluation projects, publications, and through a variety of professional development activities. The organization’s Web site—www.dropoutprevention.org—is the nation’s leading resource in providing effective, research-based solutions to engaging students and reducing dropout. In addition, the NDPC/N conducts a variety of third-party evaluations and Program Assessment and Reviews (PARs). By promoting awareness of successful programs and policies related to dropout prevention, the work of the Network and its members has made an impact on education from the local to the national level.

About Achieve3000

Achieve3000^® is the leading literacy platform in today’s blended learning programs, with cloud-based solutions that serve nearly three million students worldwide. Based on decades of scientific research, Achieve3000’s patented and proven differentiated instruction for grades PreK-12 and adult education reaches all students at their individual reading levels, with 12 levels in English and 8 in Spanish, to accelerate learning, improve high stakes test performance, and drive college and career success. The company’s global headquarters is in Lakewood, NJ. Learn more at www.achieve3000.com.

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Photo caption: Stuart Udell, National Dropout Prevention Network Board member and CEO of Achieve3000