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School districts across the country have fallen victim to the current economic slowdown, which has resulted in significant budget cuts and tough decisions for many schools this year. Unfortunately, the budget cuts have come at a time when dropout rates are rising. Is there a connection? We will take a closer look at the issue to answer the question.

The Dropout Dilemma in California

No state has felt the brunt of school district budget cuts more acutely than California. With many districts forced to lay off counselors, end intervention services, and reduce or eliminate arts and other extracurricular activities, there are fewer resources to keep kids interested in school than there once was. Recently released data seems to support this idea; according to a report at San Jose Mercury News, the dropout rate for California schools during the 2008-09 school year went up nearly three percent from the previous year.

During the 2008-09 academic year, the dropout rate was 21.7%. The previous year, that rate was just 18.9%. African Americans saw the most dropouts at 36.9%, and Hispanics followed with 26.9%. Both of these demographics saw a three-percent increase in dropouts in just one year. At the same time, California saw an increase in graduation rates, with a nearly two-percent increase in graduations across the board and a five-percent jump in Hispanic graduations.

Still, the dropout rate is far from acceptable, considering that a high school diploma is the first step in breaking the

Students are often given rewards by parents when they bring home a sound report card. High school students who excel in academics, sports or other activities are often given monetary incentives to attend particular colleges through scholarships. Why not pay students in primary and secondary schools for making the grade as well?

Studies have recently been conducted to determine whether monetary rewards by the school district would motivate at-risk students to achieve better in school. While the results of these studies have been mixed, the debate over the idea is unmistakable. Although some believe that any method of enticing kids to perform well in school is fair game, others see paying cash for grades as an unnecessary way to encourage students to do what they should already be achieving. Who's right? Let's take a look at both sides of the debate to see.

The Four-City Study

Harvard economist Roland Frye recently conducted a test to find out if offering students monetary rewards for performing well in school could bring up scores on standardized tests. Frye's research results were published in last spring. The study looked at schools in four major cities across the United States: Chicago, Dallas, Washington, and New York.

In New York, fourth through seventh-grade students were paid for their grades on tests. In Chicago, ninth-grade kids were paid for the grades on their report cards. In Washington, middle schoolers earned money based on five different metrics, including

The New Haven public school system, like others across the country, is dealing with a high drop-out rate that leaves many students unable to climb out of their current poverty trap. To help combat the problem in this New England state, Yale University has pledged a large amount of money over the next four years to help high school students in Connecticut go to college without worry over how bills will be paid. Yale has recently announced the New Haven Promise. This new program will allow public high school graduates in Connecticut the opportunity to go to college for free if they qualify for admission and keep their grades up during college.

This video explains how financial aid works at Yale University.

New Haven Promise

New Haven Promise is a scholarship and support program created by the city of New Haven and Yale University. It is designed to reduce the public school drop-out rate by allowing many more New Haven students to attend college.

According to the , the organization hopes to accomplish the following:

• Cultivate an aspiration for higher education among New Haven public school students
• Build a community of support and parental engagement
• Grow the economic development throughout the city of New Haven

The organization wants to be the catalyst that reduces not only drop-out rates but poverty, crime, and incarceration rates in New

Most individuals appointed as superintendents of school districts have a background in public education. However, some districts have found that sound managerial experience in the business sector can be just as advantageous – and sometimes more so – than those with a strict background in teaching.

On the other hand, superintendents that come straight from the business world may lack the educational knowledge necessary to properly lead a district in the best interests of the students. Which philosophy is correct? According to two major school districts currently involved in this very debate, the answer isn't terribly clear.

Management Experience vs. Education Training

According to a report in , New York is one city that appears to put sound managerial experience over an education background when it comes to choosing a superintendent for the nation's largest school district.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg came into the political arena with no experience in government and is now serving his third term as mayor. His appointments of New York schools chancellors also seem to reflect his commitment to finding individuals with business and managerial experience to lead the district.

This video outlines the qualifications for a school superintendent position.

Bloomberg's recent chancellor appointment, Cathie Black, "seems to be a continuation of Mayor Bloomberg's predisposition toward choosing people that he views as good managers regardless of their expertise in education," Aaron Pallas, a professor at Columbia

School board members are responsible for a variety of responsibilities during their terms of governance. They must set budgets, establish school policies, make long-range plans, and assess data to determine school performance. This governing board further decides how schools will operate and recommends strategies that will increase student achievement.

Due to these obligations, it stands to reason that elected board members should receive some type of training to assist them in conducting complex school business. However, school board member training is not without its share of controversy.

In this video, Cal Heminway, Board Chairman of Granby School District in Connecticut, talks about what makes a good school board member.

The Importance of School Board Training

In Michigan, voters seem united in their desire to see school board members properly trained for their roles. A recent survey published by the demonstrated voter discontent. As many as 30% of the 600 Michigan voters polled gave their current school board members an average grade of "C" in terms of their recent performance. In addition, the survey found the following:

• Two-thirds of the respondents believe that school board training should be mandatory.
• The vast majority support training within one hour of the local school district.
• About half oppose training on a national level, preferring local training.
• Almost two-thirds said they would be more likely to vote for a potential member who has