Using Career Education to Enhance School Success

The new career education program was developed to help over-aged and under achieving 9th graders who are one or more years behind in earning their high school diplomas. This program was designed to reduce the dropout rate and provide every student with a South Carolina State Diploma and a marketable skill upon entering the workforce. This study determined if the program reduced the dropout rate and if students participating in the career education program would show an improvement in factors established as dropout indicators. The students who met the programs qualifications began in the fall of 2006 and were studied over a one year period. Improvements in factors associated with dropping out were measured. These factors were Grade Point Ratio (GPR), Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) scores, Carnegie Units, and attendance. At the conclusion of the program the students who participated had higher MAP scores, GPR, Carnegie units earned and improved attendance than pre-program scores. Also, no student dropped out of school that entered this program in the fall of 2006. These results demonstrate that this career education program enabled the student to become a high school graduate by improving their MAP scores, Grade Point Ratios and Carnegie units and attendance. To determine if these students remain in school and the impact this program had on the students, further study is encouraged