Kerry L. Abel, Coordinator

Function

The Office of Dropout Prevention and Partnerships is designed to work in collaboration with schools, parents and the community to help more students complete high school by increasing public awareness of the dropout issue, developing ways to address it, creating action plans based on those strategies, and actively engaging local leaders in carrying out those plans.

Responsibilities:

	reduce the district's dropout rate and ensure that each middle and high school has an array of supportive services that will provide students with alternatives to dropping out of school
	increase the district's graduation rate through specialized interventions that address the acquisition of required credits
	work with community agencies and the military to develop and implement programs that provide student alternatives to dropping out of school
	work individually with school principals and their administrative staff to develop a school dropout prevention plan for each middle and high school
	work with elementary schools to provide information to parents on the early strategies they can utilize to ensure their child will remain in school until graduation
	establish a uniform way for middle and high schools to track and monitor students
	maintain the district's existing business, corporate, and community partnerships as well as working to establish additional ones

For additional information, please contact:

Office of Dropout Prevention and Partnerships
1225 Oak Street
Columbia, South Carolina 29204
803-231-6749, Fax 803-231-6761

Evening High School
803-738-7574
Office Hours: 3 p.m. - 9 p.m.

Kerry L. Abel, Coordinator
Debra Edwards, Site Coordinator - Evening High School