HIGH SCHOOLS MUST REPORT ON DROPOUTS

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A new law requiring Missouri high schools to report the names of known dropouts puts an added impetus on the Adult Basic Education Program here.

High schools are required to report names to the state's "Literacy Hotline" so state and local adult education officials can provide dropouts with information about adult education and GED classes.

Susan Clubb, director of the Cape Girardeau Area Vocational-Technical School's Adult Basic Education Program, said, "I think everyone's pleased the law went into effect. This provides us a way to reach some students we might have missed otherwise."

The new requirement, which became effective Jan. 1, was enacted last year by the Missouri General Assembly. The law applies to all public and private high schools.

Local high schools will report the name, address, phone number, birthday and date of withdrawal from school for each student considered to be a dropout.

School officials may report the names by calling a toll-free Literacy Hotline at 1-800-521-READ.

"The hotline is a good idea," Clubb said.

Even before the law took effect, Clubb said, the Cape Girardeau program began contacting dropouts with information about Adult Basic Education and GED classes.

"The new law gives us access to names, address and phone numbers," Clubb said. "It makes our job a little easier. And this is a new way to reach people in the community with information about our programs."

Clubb said high schools in the area have already been referring dropouts to her program.

"I got names from Chaffee and Advance today," she said Monday.

But Clubb does not expect a marked increase in the number of students enrolling in the classes offered by ABE.

"I think we will see a slight increase, but most schools around here were already telling students about what is available," she said.

Statistics about the number of dropouts reached through this new program are being compiled, she said. "We will also track the students to see if they actually enroll or earn a GED."

According to state education officials, more than 30,000 Missourian over the age of 16 enroll in Adult Basic Education classes, and about 8,000 receive a high school equivalency (GED) certificate each year. Department of Education statistics also show about 20 percent of dropouts earn a GED certificate within five years of leaving school.