Remarks of President Barack Obama As Prepared for Delivery Address to Joint Session of Congress Tuesday, February 24th, 2009
 But we know that our schools don¹t just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance; pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We¹ll invest in innovative programs that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. And we will expand our commitment to charter schools.
"It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It¹s not just quitting on yourself, it¹s quitting on your country and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world."
These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children.
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New economic model links a decrease in the high school dropout rate to economic gains
 Were twelve of the nation's largest cities to reduce the number of dropouts for a single high school class by just 50 percent, they would see a total of more than $1.5 billion per year in additional wages and 61,800 new homeowners, according to a new economic analysis by the Alliance for Excellent Education.
"As these findings show, the best economic stimulus is a high school diploma," said Bob Wise, president of the Alliance for Excellent Education and former governor of West Virginia. "Given the state of high schools in the United States, it is imperative that the nation focus attention on students most at risk of dropping out if it is to achieve long-term economic stability. In an Information Age economy, education is the main currency."
The analysis, which covers Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Detroit, Mich. ...
Click here to read the full article at AmericasPromise.org...
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Study Finds High Rate of Imprisonment Among Dropouts
On any given day, about one in every 10 young male high school dropouts is in jail or juvenile detention, compared with one in 35 young male high school graduates, according to a new study of the effects of dropping out of school in an America where demand for low-skill workers is plunging.
The picture is even bleaker for African-Americans, with nearly one in four young black male dropouts incarcerated or otherwise institutionalized on an average day, the study said. That compares with about one in 14 young, male, white, Asian or Hispanic dropouts.
Click here to read the full New York Times article...
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