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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Jay Purdy |
State Rep. James
Roebuck |
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Roebuck reintroduces bill to combat drop-out rate
HARRISBURG, Feb. 28 – State Rep. James Roebuck, D-Phila., today announced he has reintroduced legislation that would require school districts to hold exit interviews with students dropping out or withdrawing from school, or who are absent without excuse for more than 10 days, and report their findings to the state Education Department.
The original bill overwhelmingly passed the House in June, but the Senate failed to act on the measure prior to the end of the session in November.
The number of Pennsylvania public school students who dropout is about 17,000 annually, with around 5,000 of them leaving Philadelphia schools.
Roebuck said under the bill (H.B. 120), local educators could use the required interview as an opportunity for one last chance to convince a student to stay in school and to present the student with alternative education programs that the student may elect to enter instead of dropping out.
“Currently, the Education Department receives the basic statistics from districts about students who drop out or who are chronically absent, such as their age and grade level, but they don’t tell us what the motivation is behind the action,” said Roebuck, chairman of the House Education Committee.
“With a more complete picture, educators can develop strategies to avert dropping out and motivate those students to stay in school and attain their diploma, which certainly is in the best interest of the student and the community at large.”
The interview would be based on a standard form to be developed by the Department of Education.
Roebuck said if a student is unable to complete the interview, a parent or guardian would have to complete the session instead, in person or by telephone, within 15 days or be subject to a civil penalty.
Following the interview, the information would be retained by the school district and a copy of the completed form returned to the Education Department.
School districts would have to keep the information from the interview as part of a student’s permanent record. The Education Department would release a summary of the interviews annually, after eliminating any personal information.
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