As high school seniors across the United States receive their diplomas in the coming weeks, the need to improve our secondary schools will be evident in the number of students missing from the graduation stage.


More than one million students dropped out of high school this year. They are part of an annual and unsustainable loss of human potential that jeopardizes their future and costs our economy billions of dollars in lost wages. Many of these dropouts cite a lack of engagement-sometimes beginning as early as middle school-as their reason to quit.


A lot of people talk about ​high school reform and do nothing about it, but you can help change the stage for the next graduating class.


Take Action: Your Voice Can Make a Difference What is needed is a transformation of America's high schools from the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to modern, personalized, rigorous, and relevant educational institutions.


The Secondary School Innovation Fund Act will help promote creative policies and implement effective programs that engage, support, and challenge students to reduce dropout rates, while providing them with the 21st century skills they need to succeed upon graduation.


Please send a message to your senators by clicking here and  then send a message to your representative by clicking here​ encouraging them to support the Secondary School Innovation Fund Act or thanking them for cosponsoring it.


To help raise awareness about the need for innovative high school redesign, please share this with your colleagues and friends. Then, ask them to contact their members of Congress.


Thank you!


Source: ASCD/The Whole Child