All children are valuable; none is expendable. But the fact is U.S. high schools lose more than one third of their students before graduation, and the cumulative impact of this attrition affects every person. However, schools can increase their "holding power" by adopting and implementing programs that recognize students' inherent value, their contributions, and their potential significance to their communities and society, as a whole.

This podcast excerpted from a recent teleseminar presents a new framework for transforming schools. Learn how communities and schools can work together, which school factors are key to student success based on research and IDRA experience, and an example of the power of shifting from a deficit view to one of valuing youth.

Dr. María “Cuca” Robledo Montecel, executive director of the Intercultural Development Research Association led this teleseminar hosted by the National Dropout Prevention Center for Students with Disabilities. A transcript of the full teleseminar (with the Q&A portion not available in the podcasts) is also available in pdf format. Also available are the teleseminar materials in pdf format.

Part 1: Overview of IDRA Research on Dropouts and School Holding Power
IDRA led the first comprehensive statewide study of school dropouts in Texas over two decades ago. Hear an overview of key findings from this and other critical studies and how they have influenced practice today.

Listen to the podcast of Part I. (or right click to download and save) (19 MB; 00:20:47 min.)

Download PDF transcription of Part I (109 KB)

Download handouts of Part I (3.26 MB)

Part 2: Five Characteristics of School Holding Power
IDRA’s research on strategies for reducing the dropout rate, stemming from research-based effective strategies and IDRA’s experience in schools over the last three decades, shows five components are vital to successful dropout prevention.

Listen to Podcast of Part 2. (or right click to download and save) (1.24 MB; 00:01:21 min.)

Download PDF transcript of Part 2 (68.9 KB)

Part 3: Overview of Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program
The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program, created by IDRA, is an internationally-recognized dropout prevention cross-age tutoring program in schools across the United States and Brazil. This highly successful program includes research-based program support and rigorous evaluation.

Listen to Podcast of Part 3 (or right click to download and save) (3.21 MB; 00:03:30 min.)

Download transcript of Part 3 (69.3 KB)

Download handouts for Part 3 (3.01 MB)

Part 4: Seven Lessons from Texas About Dropouts and School Holding Power
Having dealt with this issue so closely for so many years, IDRA offers the following seven lessons from Texas in the hope that many more will take up the call to action. Based on an expansion of a presentation by Dr. Robledo Montecel to the Education Writers Association’s Regional Seminar.

Listen to the Podcast of Part 4 (or right click to download and save) (12.5 MB; 00:13:05 min.)

Download transcript of Part 4 (92.8 KB)

Download handouts for Part 4 (2.20 MB)

Part 5: Quality Schools Action Framework
Developed by Dr. Robledo Montecel, this new framework shows how we can strengthen public education for all students by addressing systemic factors that lead to students dropping out.

Listen to the podcast of Part 5 (or right click to download and save) (8.9 MB; 00:09:43 min.)

Download transcript of Part 5 (86.8 KB)

Download handouts for Part 5 (2.25 MB)

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