Drop Out Facts
Last year in Durham, over 450 students dropped out of school. Research suggests that:
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40 percent of these kids may end up on welfare;
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30 percent of the males may go on to commit crimes serious enough to put them in prison
We believe the way to reduce the dropout rate is through initiatives that meet the five basic needs of at-risk children: a one-on-one relationship with a caring adult; a safe place to learn and grow; a marketable skill to use upon graduation; a chance to give back to the community; a healthy start.
By empowering students to achieve in school and life, we are building a stronger Durham, where every person is capable of reaching his or her greatest potential.
Durham Facts
The Public School Forum of North Carolina and the North Carolina Center for Afterschool Programs recently released their 2017 Roadmap of Need. The Roadmap of Need "is an in-depth needs assessment for North Carolina youth". This report covers Health, Youth Behavior, Education and Economic Development.
Here is how Durham fared in the report:
Health And Safety
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Durham is ranked 37th for health in the state
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Over 20% of people in Durham are food insecure
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Durham County has one of the highest youth detention admission rates in the state
Education
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Durham is ranked 84th for education in the state
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55% of Durham students were unable to read at grade level or pass Math 1 EOCs
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Durham county is 15% below the state average for reading and math proficiency
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20% of students were unable to graduate
Economic Development
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1 in 4 children in Durham county lives in poverty
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42% of children in Durham county lives in a single parent home
The result of these statistics is that Durham County is ranked 47th out of the 100 counties in North Carolina, one of the lowest for a major city.
I had a conference this week with my son’s teacher about his grades, and she reported to me that she had seen such a magnificent change in him within the last month. And I owe it all to the Strengthening Families Program.
-Anonymous