(b) The Chicago public schools should continue to conduct and expand demonstration centers in areas with high incidence of dropouts. Such centers, made possible by additional funds, could foster further experimentation with new tools and methods of learning such as closed-circuit television, programed learning, and team teaching.

10. Personnel representing the Chicago public schools have participated in national conferences directed in part to reducing school dropouts. The availability of additional funds would make it possible to implement some of the recommendations made at such conferences.

(a) Redeployment of staff has been suggested. Nonprofessional staff might be employed in such roles as teachers' aids to supervise lunchrooms, serve as audiovisual helpers, and as clerical assistants so that assigned teachers can devote a greater portion of their time to instruction.

(b) Institutions of higher education in the Chicago area have resources for research and exerimentation which can be of benefit to schools concerned with urban education, especially in the action research phase of providing additional programs that would increase the schools' holding power for potential dropouts.

(c) Means could be explored for developing planning structures throughout the system for coordinating and developing additional programs for the potential dropout.

11. The urban youth program for 16- to 21-year-old dropouts has pioneered cooperative work-study programs in Chicago, and has aided immeasurably the adjustment of dropout returnees who have utilized this service.

(a) Since the double E (education and employment) and the double T (training and transition) phases of this program have been operating for a period approaching 3 years, consideration might be given to trying those phases in a number of high schools to lessen the possibility of dropout. The cooperative work-study and work-internship programs at the high school level could be further expanded.

(b) A merger of the urban youth program with the continuation schools might also be considered since this would provide better facilities for students in the urban program and a wider variety of subject offerings and training to continuation school pupils.

RECAPITULATION

Many programs for the potential dropout have been initiated in the Chicago public schools, the majority of which have been accomplished during the past decade. As we look ahead, these programs could be expanded and others might be initiated in the event that funds not presently available are procured. Class size has been reduced from 39 in 1953 to 32.7 this present school year. Further reduction of the average class size to 25 would enable class teachers to provide more adequately for the needs of the individual pupils including the potential dropouts.

Additional auxiliary staffing has been assigned to provide for counseling. guidance, health, and psychological services to potential dropouts. The high school pupil-counselor ratio has been reduced from over 600 to 1 to approximately 400 to 1. The expanded hearing and vision screening programs provide two checkups for each child before the sixth grade thereby locating possible causes of academic difficulties which frequently result in ultimate school dropout.

Further increases in the number of professionals in relation to the total number of pupils would make it possible to provide additional needed services through expanded staffing including counselors, teacher-nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychiatric consultants, and reading clinie technicians. The additional staffing might also be used to initiate prekindergarten programs in disadvantaged areas and thereby tend to overcome some of the causes of early school leaving.

Seven education and vocational guidance centers have been established for overage pupils. An upper grade center program, initiated in 1954, has been expanded so that 23 centers are now in operation. Cooperative work study programs have been expanded including diversified occupations, distributive education, and work internship.

The expansion of vocational programs including work-study programs and education and vocational guidance centers for overage elementary school and high school youth would further provide for the needs of the potential

dropout. The continued expansion of the upper grade center program will also contribute to the holding power of schools.

Greater provision has been made for the instructional needs of the potential dropout through continuing evaluation and revision of curriculum guides under the direction of the department of curriculum development.

Increases in consultant help for teachers could provide more subject area consultants who could assist teachers in the implementation of the curriculum guides.

Special education programs have been expanded to provide for needs of the physically and mentally handicapped as well as the socially maladjusted. The impact program was especially designed to provide for the needs of pupils whose records reflect the symptoms of the potential dropout.

Special education school facilities could be expanded including provisions for emotionally disturbed pupils. The impact program, already initiated, could be expanded to provide for pupils whose attendance and school adjustment patterns indicate they are potential dropouts.

The public schools of Chicago have involved community participation in developing effective parent education programs. The afterschool recreational social center program has been expanded to 146 centers, and the schools have initiated cooperative programs involving agencies serving their respective communities.

Additional funds could provide homework centers, special afterschool counseling programs for pupils and parents, and the expansion of afterschool recreational programs, afterschool field trips, and parent education programs.

An afterschool reading improvement program initiated in 1962 with 300 classes operating in 60 schools has been expanded to 1,162 classes currently operating in 175 schools, and enrolling 20,500.

Additional funds could make possible the expansion of afterschool class programs, summer schools, special demonstration schools, as well as both reading and arithmetic improvement classes during the summer school session. Such funds could also facilitate the reorganization and extension of the schoolday to provide additional time and programs for in-service education of the staff.

Experimentation with foundation support was undertaken in 1960 to prevent early school leaving (district 11 special project including the urban youth program). Experimentation with improvement of values and attitudes also initiated in 1960 (Doolittle project) has been expanded.

Additional funds could make possible further extension of such experimental programs since they are especially designed to prevent early school leaving.

Prompt enrollment of pupils has been encouraged through the back-to-school program prior to the opening of school in September. The elementary school registration day prior to the opening of school was initiated in districts of high mobility. The high school orientation programs have encouraged potential dropouts to remain in school and to profit from the educational programs.

Such programs which have already been initiated could be further expanded in the event that additional funds become available. Representatives of the Chicago public schools have participated in national conferences and projects directed in part to the problem of reducing dropouts, and related projects have been successfully carried out in Chicago.

Additional funds would make possible further research and experimentation in providing programs that meet the needs of the potential dropouts. Cooperative work-study programs, initiated in Chicago, have successfully aided many young people including the 16- to 21-year-old dropouts.

Additional funds could facilitate the expansion of this program to include the high schools and continuation schools.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chicago Board of Education, Facts and Figures, Chicago: The Author, 1963. "Chicago Reduces Dropout Rate," Chicago Schools Journal, 44 (November 1962), 90.

"Expand Work-Study Plan for Dropout," Chicago Schools Journal, 44 (December 1962), 139.

Gilbert, Jerome H., "Tesla School Breaks the Lock Step," Elementary Schools Journal, (March 1964), 306–309.

Kelley, E. C., "Seeds of Dropouts," Childhood Education, 39 (May 1963), 420–422. Kristan, C. V., "Meeting the Needs of School Dropouts," Chicago Schools Journal, 44 (December 1962), 119–122.

Lichter, S. O. and others. The Dropouts: A Treatment Study of Intellectually Capable Students Who Drop Out of High School. Chicago: The Free Press, 1962.

Matthews, C. V., "Serious Problem of the School Dropout," Illinois Education, 50 (January 1962), 209-212.

Mellon, E. H. and Karnes, Merle B., "The School Dropouts-American Education's Number 1 Problem," Illinois Education, 26 (March 1964), 297–300. Miller, L. M., "The Dropout: Schools Search for Clues to His Problems," School Life, 45 (May 1963), 5–7.

National Education Association, The School Dropout, ed. by Daniel Schreiber, Washington, D.C.: The author, 1964.

National Education Association & American Personnel and Guidance Association, Guidance and the School Dropout, ed. by Daniel Schreiber, Washington, D.C.: National Education Association, 1964.

Procedures for the Identification of Potential High School Dropouts, Springfield: Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, 1962.

"School Dropouts: A Symposium," National Education Association Journal, 51 (May 1962), 50-59.

Schreiber, D., "Dropout and the Delinquent: Promising Practices Gleaned from a Year of Study," Phi Delta Kappan, 44 (February 1963), 215–221.

Siebert, Edna M., "Stirrings in the Big Cities: Chicago," Natinal Education Association Journal (January 1962), 8-12.

Simeon, Neal, "Chicago's Vocational Guidance and Education Centers," Chicago Schools Journal, 45 (October 1963), 15–22.

Stack, Eileen C., "The Dropout Problem," Illinois Education, 51 (November 1962), 117-120.

Willis, Benjamin C., "Statement to the Board of Education," Board of Education Proceedings, July 10, 1963.