Community News

Mississippi’s dropout problem affects all of us. After all, our high school students are our future. That’s why it’s our responsibility to get involved and keep our students On the Bus.

Already, communities like yours are making a difference. Click on the county or town to find out more about our exciting community activities.

NEW! Read about what other communities and school districts are doing.

Add your city or county to the map!

Send us your dropout prevention news and pictures, and announcements about your events. Submit information to communities@onthebus.ms

There's a seat on the bus for you.

Contact your school district and ask how you can become involved in the local Dropout Prevention Team. Leaders from your school district and dropout prevention coordinators can help you understand your own community’s dropout rates and provide suggestions on what you or your organization can do to help.

Although there is no single solution to the dropout problem, there are some proven strategies that can make a positive impact:

• Early childhood education. Starting kindergarten ready to learn is the best way to set students on a path to graduation. Students who start out behind typically stay behind. More students are retained in kindergarten and first grade than at any other time.
• Parental involvement. When parents monitor their children’s grades and communicate with their teachers and schools, students attend school more regularly and perform better academically.
• Relevant learning. High quality teachers and classroom instruction make learning interesting and relevant to real life experiences.
• Successful transitions. Giving extra support to students during key transition points (elementary to middle school, middle school to high school) can help them adjust to changes and make a positive start in their new environment.
• Opportunities for real-world learning. These are available through internships, job shadowing and service learning. Students who are exposed to careers and workplaces recognize the connection and begin to see their education as more relevant to their futures.
• Relationships with caring adults. Having a mentor helps at-risk students feel valued and motivated to stay in school. A mentor who contributes even a small amount of time can have a significant impact on an individual child.
  

Working together, we can change Mississippi’s future for the better.