Aligned Policies and Practices to Build Coherence: Dropout Prevention Framework

Overview

Foundational practices are focused on proactive systems-level efforts to engage students fully in learning. Foundational practices provide the groundwork for the implementation of the four dropout prevention strategies and are important structures to engage students. They are built off of and align to school improvement and student success efforts in Colorado including Colorado’s Four Domains of Rapid School Improvement; Multi-Tiered System of Supports; Landscape of Well-Being (coming soon); and Family, School, and Community Partnerships. 

Aligned Policies and Practices to Build Coherence:

Aligning policies and practices builds coherence between districts and schools as well as within and across schools. This allows all aspects of a school system to work together toward student success and ensure that policies reinforce and support student goals and outcomes.  Policies and practices relevant to dropout prevention are varied and include discipline, attendance, grading, school climate, relationships, and behavior; policies and practices require intentional alignment to function optimally together and ensure that they reinforce and support efforts for engagement and student success and don’t unintentionally support student disengagement. Intentional setting of policies and practices and understanding the potential risks or drawbacks provides a stronger focus on success for all students.