The Issue?

The effects of student dropouts have far-reaching implications on crime rates along with our local ecomomy.  Consider the following consequences:

• Earning Potential: Dropouts are more likely to be unemployed.
• Public Assistance: Dropouts comprise nearly half of the heads of households on welfare.
• Single Parents: Dropouts are more likely to have children at younger ages and more likely to be single parents than high school graduates.
• Prisons: More than 75% of America's Prisoners are high school dropouts.

The National Dropout Prevention Center and the U.S. Department of Education has provided individual-level factors that strongly predict the likelihood of dropping out of high school:

• Grade retention (being held back to repeat a grade)
• Poor academic performance
• Moves or changes in residences during high school
• High absenteeism
• Misbehavior or disruptive conduct
• Feeling that no adult in the school cares about his or her welfare.

As with any threat to individual and community well-being, early detection and intervention is beneficial.  These students tend to need additional support, and are referred to services that can help to improve student performance.

A Solution: Right Moves for Youth

Right Moves for Youth is a school-based, primary prevention and support program that collaborates with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office, and other community partners to help students improve their school attendance, behavior and academic performance.  The mission of Right Moves for Youth is to provide the resources and guidance to help students improve their school attendance, behavior and academic performance.  The mission of Right Moves for Youth is to provide the resources and guidance to help underserved youth graduate from high school with a plan for future success.  Our mission is realized through the operation of middle and high school-based programming designed to promote the positive development of young people.