| Dropout rates across the country have
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| | students. Classes include the basics of
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| been on the rise over the past decade. In
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| | reading, writing and math, as well as a
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| school year 2004-2005, an estimated 5,550
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| | college survival course to help them be
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| students dropped out of the Philadelphia
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| | successful in their future college
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| schools. This is the highest dropout rate
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| | courses and a two-hour academic lab each
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| in the state, about three times higher
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| | week.
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| than the state average.
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| | Dedicated academic coordinators act as
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| To assist these Philadelphia schools
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| | advisors, mentors and coaches for the
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| dropouts and offer them an opportunity
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| | Philadelphia schools dropouts. They also
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| for a better life, the Philadelphia
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| | assist with student needs issues, such as
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| schools have partnered with the Community
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| | course selection, time management, and
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| College of Philadelphia, the largest
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| | study habits. After the first semester,
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| degree-granting institution in the city
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| | the Philadelphia schools dropouts take
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| with over 38,000 students enrolled
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| | classes with the college's general
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| annually.
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| | student population.
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| According to a report by the American
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| | The Gateway to College Program was
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| Youth Policy Forum, 75 percent of the
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| | developed by the Portland Community
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| inmates housed at our state prisons are
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| | College and funded by the Bill & Melinda
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| dropouts, and 59 percent of the federal
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| | Gates Foundation and its partners -
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| prison population are dropouts. Though
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| | Carnegie Corporation of New York, the
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| the Philadelphia schools already have
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| | Ford Foundation, and the W.K. Kellogg
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| programs in place to aid students
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| | Foundation. The plan is to replicate the
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| currently in school, they knew that more
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| | program at 17 colleges nationwide by
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| had to be done to aid those who had
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| | 2007. Philadelphia is its largest urban
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| already dropped out.
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| | center to participate to date.
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| Part of the Gateway to College Program,
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| | The Community College of Philadelphia was
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| the Philadelphia schools dropouts begin
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| | granted $10.25 million over a seven-year
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| school in the fall of 2006. The program
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| | period, of which $350,000 is slated for
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| offers dropouts the chance to
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| | planning and startup for the first three
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| simultaneously work toward a diploma and
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| | years. Remaining monies and in-kind
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| associate's college degree or
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| | services will come from the college and
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| certificate.
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| | the Philadelphia schools.
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| The college expects to enroll 360
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| | The new program expands options for
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| Philadelphia schools dropouts over the
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| | vulnerable youth, who were left behind by
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| next three years. The dropouts must be
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| | the Philadelphia schools traditional
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| between the ages of 16 and 20, with at
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| | system. These are youth who often have
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| least an eighth grade reading level. They
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| | been written off as failures by teachers,
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| can attend day, evening and weekend
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| | administrators, and parents. This is
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| classes at the college, with their first
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| | their second chance.
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| semester in small learning groups of 20
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