Fifty percent increase in student success

The top-tier students have their advocates, as do the bottom-tier students (although the advocacy there may be of an entirely different nature). But what about the students in the middle? Those who are not trouble, but those who do not post perfect scores on their SATs either. Those students make up the bulk of the high school and college classrooms. Students who barely survive post-secondary classes and only have a two in three chance of collecting a diploma. Where are their advocates?

USA Today published an article on March 17 about a New York program called SEO (Sponsors for Educational Opportunity) that provides mentoring and all-day Saturday school for the great middle of our classrooms. These students sit quietly, rarely volunteer, and are passed just above the minimum GPA in the traditional classroom. What, the program asks, would happen if these middle-tier students had just a little extra help?

SEO works on classroom basics: math, reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar. Results are impressive, according to the article written by Greg Toppo: "SEO students post academic skills indistinguishable from those of their suburban peers. Last year, the program sent 100% of its graduates (about 120 at a time) to four-year colleges. Nearly all earn diplomas: 91% last year vs. 63% for most college students." 

The difference between a student taking advantage of supplemental education program, like SEO, and those who have to make it on their own, can be life-changing. The figures quoted by Toppo speak volumes: almost a 50% increase in the final collegiate goal, receiving a diploma. So, if there is a proven program that increases success by 50% why isn't it being used in every school system?

True it is expensive because it is teacher-intensive. The SEO program costs about $5000 per student per year. And, working on the basics of grammar and vocabulary is not as sexy as wiring the classroom with the latest technology. We seem to want to invest our education money in toys that go whiz-bang rather than the proven building blocks that help students get to where they want to go. We can do better by our middle-tier of students. We know how. We just need to give them a little more help.