Students, parents, and community members will march, rally, and speak before and during a Fresno Unified School Board meeting to raise awareness on the high local drop out rates. This is a continuation of “Educación Sin Barrera’s/Education Without Barriers”, a campaign launched a year ago that seeks to address and reduce the high drop out rates of Fresno’s low-incomes students, immigrant students, and students of color.

Based on a combination of surveys, youth strategy sessions, and meetings with community members and decision makers, the following three areas were identified as contributors to the high rate of drop outs: Unfair and discriminating discipline policies, the lack of a culturally relevant curriculum, and the need to improve communication between students, teachers, and student resource officers.

PHOTO AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES WITH STUDENTS AVAILABLE

According to 2007-2008 statistics from the CA Department of Education Black and Latino/a youths drop out at a rate of 26-30%. This is above the rate of white youth at 20.5% and above the states average of 23.9%. However, some sources report the drop out rates of Black and Latino/a youth to be as high as 40%.

According to Yeng Chang, a senior at Roosevelt High School, drop out rates “hurt everyone because if someone drops out they won’t be able to get a job, got to college, and support their family and community”.

In addition to providing personal testimony and findings, students, parents and community members will be asking Fresno Unified to work with the community in working towards a proactive solution to make sure our youth are staying in school and prepared for college and a career.