A lot depends on the cultural background and socialization the young person has experienced. If the parents did not complete their time in a community school or never attended one this can impact on the young person. Also if one or both parents went but left after a year or two the their children will probably ly do the same. The whole process of reeducating or influencing them begins earlier in their s hook life positive role models teachers who nurture  children. With potential or take time to encourage and help children. Will reap the reward . Talking to parents about their long term hopes and dreams for their son or daughter. Once children are placed in the early school leaver box or the stupid box this becomes a negative reinforced. Try things such as bringing I. People with backgrounds similar to them who struggled and went on to become intdlluctual and academic successes. Let them see that anything is possible encourage praise nurture and scaffold them so that they will stay. Look at learning methods the style of learning in the community school. Hange it or broaden the methods remember so learn by doing some by seeing and others by being shown find a way to make them flourish and grow. Bring in people who have different working roles in the community to talk about their work. Bring in lecturers from different courses to talk about options good career guidance work placement so that they can experience different work res.

Dear Dee,

An economic strategy would be to promote a way of comparing community colleges which includes a measure of the proportion of students completing their courses.

understanding their basic problems for leaving college would be the first step. every individual is unique and their problems are also unique. give counseling and individual coaching. If economic factors are hindrances, then offer some campus based part time jobs. e.g. in India we have a scheme of Kamava va Shika (earning while learning). If individual has problem in grasping the knowledge, adopt various methods of teaching. Participatory teaching may help in creating interest. Individuals having social problems can be handled separately. Home visits, if required, may help the student to complete their college. It is very important that the student must feel that the knowledge & information given in community college, is useful in their life.

Community College completion rates

Burton Clark in his seminal study recognized the “cooling out function” of community colleges. They help students to realize that an AA is terminal for them and that they may never earn a BA. Your concern is with those who can’t even finish two years in six and graduate with the AA or its equivalent.  Depending on the student, their background, the communities feeding the college and many other factors, this may just be a more extreme form of “cooling out”. To reduce the number of students from dropping out may require extensive support from teachers, counselors and social workers, remedial English and Mathematics instructors, from staff that may not be available or have the interest or time to get to know and motivate their students, help them problem solve their situation at home, at work and in the community, so that they are able to study, learn and complete their AA.

There may also be an inherent problem in the way the community colleges operate. Are they really set up to offer courses that lead to a terminal AA, or are they trying to teach like they were the first two years of a four year college, so that their students can go on and earn a BA? If only ten or 20 percent go on to BAs, why are they, the tail, wagging the whole body of the community college?

Thank you Hassan I myself did not go to college having been bullied in secondary school and struggling to obtain grades I left at 18 with a poor leaving certificate which would be the final state exam in Ireland that allows you go to college. Both of my parents only had primary education my father was a small farmer on under 60 acres of land not the best quality. I watched many, many young people leave school with little more than a junior certificate trying to enter the workforce to help their siblings gain an education. I went to college as an extremely mature student having worked with a large manufacturing company for 16 years until I was made redundant. Following on from this I went to work as a care assistant in a nursing home it was through the encouragement and support of a young lady half my age that I applied for and was accepted onto a degree course in Applied Social Science. Gaining a merit 1 at level 7 and a 2,1 honours degree in Social Care Practice. How many more of my fellow students could have achieved this with support and encouragement to remain in school.or with a good friend like I had who saw potential in me she laughed when I said to her I don't think I have anything a college would be interested in and I don't think I am capable. She looked at me and told me if I could write like you or half as good as you are with words my college lecturers would have loved me. I am thankful to my friend and sit now and wonder why my belief in my own ability was so poor, Another aspect I found interesting in college was how little regard young people have for the education they are getting and the struggle that their parents are making to give them the best chance in life. A good teacher or lecturer should inspire, scaffold and support the students to excel praising their efforts and helping them to pass anything that causes a blockage in their capacity to understand a topic an open door and the honesty to tell the student you once were in the same position as them with the same fears doubts and struggles. Young people to understand that to succeed in life you need to be committed and have staying power to go the course.