Keeping Freshmen “On Track” to Graduate

Did you know?
- Out of every 100 Chicago high school freshmen, 40 miss more than a month of school in that first year. And when they cut class, it’s hard to catch up. Last year 43 out of every 100 Chicago freshmen failed more than one class. They are “off track.”
    - Kelvyn Park high school is trying to change that. KP is one of six Chicago high schools with a “freshmen on track” program. LSNA’s Parent Mentors will be working closely with “freshmen on track” to visit the families of freshmen who are not showing up at school.  
“Most parents don’t know their children are skipping school,” says LSNA mentor Luz Caravallo. “When we visit them, they are glad that we take the time to let them know, and they come to the school to set up a plan for their child.”
    Why is attendance so important? Research by the University of Chicago shows that freshmen who miss more than two weeks of school flunk, on average, at least two classes—no matter how good a student they were in eighth grade. And in the past, only one in four of them graduated on time.
    Kelvyn Park is trying to break that cycle. And LSNA’s mentors are helping, by bringing families in to help.