Nationally, in 2008, United Way set forth a broad, ten-year goal for education in America. That goal is to cut the number of high school dropouts in half by 2018.

This year alone 1.2 million high school seniors will not graduate, an average of over 6,000 students dropping out each day. United Way has developed a broad approach, implementing outcomes-based strategies along the entire education continuum, from birth to 21.

That framework is built on United Way’s foundational community impact model, focusing on outcomes and goals for a community, and drawing on the strength of existing partnerships, relationships, and good ideas already underway. Supportive communities, effective schools and strong families must be in place, along with strategies rooted in research, such as:

• Honing in on language and literacy skill-building, starting at birth;
• Engaging volunteers, including mentors and tutors, especially in the early years;
• Engaging parents and families;
• Being alert to early warning signs (like chronic absenteeism in early grades), with action plans in place;
• Building strong public-private partnerships;
• Mobilizing leaders from all sectors around effective strategies;
• Impacting policies, programs and budgets at local, state and national levels;
• Insisting on data-driven plans and evaluation.

State and local United Ways are engaged in pilot education initiatives driving community action on the five focus areas of school readiness, fourth grade reading, middle school transition, high school completion and post-secondary education.

Successful implementation of these strategies will require:

• Laser-like attention to results;
• Disciplined use of data to drive investments;
• Enhancements and supports for new data systems that look across programs – especially education and out-of-school initiatives – and link national, state and community data systems.

These initiatives are already underway in many Kentucky communities. In the coming months, we will be spotlighting these efforts.

For more information on what United Ways in Kentucky are doing right now, visit uwky.org/education.html.