High school graduation is key to future success

United Way of San Diego County has launched a comprehensive, community-focused research initiative to explore key education focus areas, such as school readiness, fourth-grade reading proficiency and high school graduation. The resulting report, “San Diego Education Research Overview,” provides key facts and findings from the study completed thus far. The report was prepared by USD’s Caster Family Center for Nonprofit and Philanthropic Research, under the direction of Dr. Laura Deitrick and in partnership with United Way and our Education Vision Council. Click on the links below for an online versions of the full report and the report’s executive summary.

Education Executive Summary          San Diego Education Research Overview
 
In 2011, United Way released a report on education in our community. Titled “Voices for the Common Good: San Diego Speaks Out on Education,” the report is a comprehensive compilation of everyday San Diegans’ opinions and aspirations for their communities, for education and the challenges they see in helping our children reach their full potential.

The release of our education report marks the beginning of our initiative to mobilize all San Diegans with a call-to-action to support kids’ education. The report is meant to engage, involve and inspire all of us to get involved in preparing San Diego children for 21st century success.

Read the report
 
Education is the cornerstone of individual and community success. Quality early education is important to all children...especially those that are abused or neglected, who are less likely to get the solid start necessary for them to graduate from high school.

At United Way, we want to ensure that all San Diego children:

1. Enter school ready to succeed
2. Read proficiently by the 4th Grade
3. Make a successful transition to Middle School
4. Graduate from High School on time
5. Succeed in college, work and life

As a national movement, our goal is to cut America's high school dropout rate in half by 2018. More than 6,300 students dropped out of San Diego County schools in the 2009-2010 school year, according to the California State Department of Education. This is a decrease from the prior year, and our goal is to help educators keep that encouraging trend going. In San Diego, United Way's focus has been on school readiness, which is critical in helping children succeed in the K-12 years.

Research shows that children from lower-income or disadvantaged families often fall behind their peers on many measures of academic success. They are often less emotionally and socially ready to succeed in school and many don’t graduate.

• 50% of foster youth drop out of high school
• 50% will be homeless and/or unemployed within two years of leaving foster care

That's why we're focusing our efforts on the most vulnerable children: homeless, disadvantaged, low-income, refugee and those in foster care. United Way has funded several initiatives to give these kids a better chance to achieve at the same levels as their peers. Learn more about what we’re doing to help.