School District Gets Grant to Prevent Students from Dropping Out (NC)

December 30, 2010

Cleveland County Schools has received another grant to help students who are most at risk of dropping out of school.

The district will receive $175,000 for various initiatives, which include, improving reading levels of exceptional children, providing tutors for AVID students, co-sponsoring summer computer camps for 75 disadvantaged middle and high school students and serving continued mental health services for homeless students.

Cleveland County is among 77 groups across the state that were awarded $10.8 million in grants to reduce the number of students dropping out of school.

The district is fortunate to be among those schools, districts, agencies and nonprofit organizations receiving grants since competition has become more intense over the years, said the county’s director of student services, Bill McCullough. This year’s grant focuses on subgroups of students whose graduation rates may be lower than the overall district’s rate.

“This will help Cleveland County Schools increase our focus on helping more students graduate from high school,” McCullough said.

State cohort graduation rates

2005-06: 68.3
2006-07: 69.5
2007-08: 70.3
2008-09: 71.8
2009-10: 74.2

Cleveland County cohort graduation rates

2005-06: 62.5
2006-07: 70.9
2007-08: 67.9
2008-09: 66.0
2009-10: 71.8

Source: Cleveland County Schools

 
Ho w will Cleveland County Schools use the grant money?

 -Purchase reading curriculum programs for readers who struggle at Shelby High and Burns Middle schools.

 -Provide 25 trained tutors, primarily Gardner-Webb students, for those in the AVID programs at Shelby Middle and Shelby High schools

  -Provide laptops for 75 economically disadvantaged in 4-H summer commuter camps, as well as professional assistance

  -Continue mental health services for homeless students