UNIQUE CHARTER SCHOOL CAN HELP AT-RISK STUDENTS
by - Mark Thimmig
In response to the Jan. 14 editorial, "Raising Dropout Age Won't Fix the Core Problem," we applaud The News' interest and dedication for raising the issue of high school dropouts in Detroit and across the state. Raising the high school dropout age to 18 will not resolve the predicament students and educators face.
It is deeply disturbing to find that there is no apparent realization that a fix lies within a significant change of the process. The traditional public/private high school education with academics, athletics, clubs and other social activities generally works well for 50-60 percent of today's student population. However, why insist that a process that works for these students can be adequately modified to be "all things to all people"?
If we ignore the needs of a meaningful part of our student population, thousands of students will continue to be left behind. This will only serve to further expand the existing social trauma Detroit and other communities across Michigan are facing.
Life Skills Centers of Detroit and Pontiac opened in 2004, and are collectively educating 850 former at-risk and dropout students who needed a process that was designed for them. Life Skills Centers are unique student-centric public charter schools that help students earn a state-recognized diploma (not a GED) and a job.
In a community that has certainly learned by now that you cannot fix the customer, rather it's all about the right process and products, when will this hard-won lesson translate from industry to education? More money in the same process will not improve dismal graduation rates.
Unfortunately, due to limits on charter schools in Michigan, thousands more students may never get a second chance in a non traditional process that was designed just for them.
Mark F. Thimmig
Chief Executive and President
White Hat Ventures, LLC
Akron, Ohio