Print the Plan

Support Disengaged and At-Risk Youth

Progress

Way Forward Commitment:

Youth who do not finish school will have more difficulty finding employment, especially as the economy becomes more global, knowledge-based and skills-intensive. The high school drop-out rate in Newfoundland and Labrador was 5.7 per cent (987 students) in 2015-16. Our government is committed to reducing this number by 10 per cent, or approximately 100 fewer drop-outs, by 2020. We have created an advisory committee that includes external partners such as the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association, Choices for Youth and Thrive to advise on drop-out reduction. In 2018, this committee will develop strategies to keep students in school, provide alternative opportunities for those who leave school before graduating, and support those who return to school.

What We’ve Accomplished:

  • In 2017-18, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (EECD) provided funding to the Murphy Centre to develop and implement the Adult GED Preparation Program. EECD continues to allocate funding ($75,000 in 2018-19) to support this ongoing program.
  • Budget 2018 allocated $112,900 for the establishment of experiential learning programs. EECD continues to allocate funding ($75,000 in 2018-19) to support this ongoing program.
  • An Advisory Committee for School Early Leaving Prevention was established in January 2018. The Committee is composed of representatives from six different government departments, school districts, school principals, NL Teachers’ Association and community youth organizations. The Committee’s mandate is to develop strategies aimed at reducing the number of students leaving school before graduation, providing supports to students who return to school to complete education, and providing alternate opportunities for students who do not return to school before graduating to complete their education. These strategies will be initiated by 2020.
  • EECD staff and school district staff have developed strategies for improving the recording and monitoring of attendance. Detailed information will be provided to schools about the necessary strategies needed to ensuring accurate attendance data is collected. EECD staff will be monitoring attendance data throughout the 2019-20 school year.
  • Consultations took place in 2018 with community groups, other departments, school district staff, school administrators, teachers, and former students. These consultations concluded in December 2018.
  • EECD has worked to identify strategies aimed at reducing the number of students leaving school before graduation, providing supports to students who return to school to complete their education, and providing alternate opportunities for students who do not return to school before graduating to complete their education.
  • The Chronic Absenteeism Steering Committee will use the identified strategies as an important resource to develop an action plan for meeting the recommendations of the Child and Youth Advocate Report on Chronic Absenteeism (January 2019).