LANSING, Mich. (AP) -- Michigan's top education official wants schools to each identify 10 to 15 students at risk of dropping out and step in to keep them in the classroom.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan announced his "dropout challenge" to 4,000 public schools Tuesday.
Flanagan is asking schools to target 10 to 15 students who show dropout warning signs early on. The schools would intervene with methods specifically designed to prevent dropping out.
Flanagan says one in four Michigan children fails to graduate with his or her class. He says it's not just a high school problem, but one that begins earlier on.
Early warning signs include failing math in middle school, repeating grades, skipping school and being marked down for poor behavior.