Posted on August 1, 2019

Montgomery Co. Public Schools Have a Dropout Problem — Here’s Why

Michelle Basch, WTOP, July 30, 2019

Montgomery County Public Schools have a growing problem with students who drop out or are chronically absent, meaning they’ve missed 15 or more school days in a year.

On Monday night, a committee that’s been studying the issue presented its findings to the school board.

{snip}

Of the 2,010 students who dropped out of Montgomery County Public Schools in the last two and a half years, 1,296 were learning English as a second language, and 1,341 were Hispanic or Latino.

The study found many of the English-language learning students leave school because they find it’s too hard, they have to get a job to help support their families, or they must help care for younger relatives.

{snip}

And students had more requests.

“They would like instruction to always be relevant and explained why it is relevant. They would like teachers to slow down and reteach as needed,” Goodwin said.

{snip}