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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

High School Completion Programs

High school completion programs aim to increase the chances that students will graduate from high school or receive their general educational development (GED) diploma. The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends high school completion programs for students at risk of not graduating. High school completion programs are likely to improve academic achievement, economic stability, and health outcomes.

Examples of high school completion programs, include:

  • Vocational training
  • Alternative schools
  • Social-emotional skills training
  • College-focused programming
  • Mentoring and counseling

Other types of high school completion programs include: supplemental academic services, school and class restructuring, multiservice packages, attendance monitoring, community services, and case management.

Health Career Pathways

Recruiting high school students to focus on future careers in the healthcare workforce through health career pathway programs is a strategy for increasing graduation rates and addressing SDOH. These programs emphasize the importance of completing high school and focus on recruiting rural students. Some of these programs focus on recruiting students into specific career paths, partnering with universities and colleges to provide early training experiences. Pathway programs show promise for increasing representation in the healthcare workforce and improving health outcomes of various populations. For more information about rural health workforce career pathway programs, see Rural Project Examples: Health career pathways.

Examples of Rural High School Completion Programs Addressing SDOH

  • Project PROMISE (Providing Rural Opportunities in Medicine through Inspiring Service and Education) is a rural North Carolina program that engages a select number of high school seniors to prepare for medical careers. The program promotes high school graduation and provides academic training, experience with medical coursework, and mentorship through the UNC School of Medicine.
  • Garrett County, Maryland is implementing multiple educational programs to help improve the health and well-being of its residents. One program uses a two-generation approach that integrates services for the entire family, providing children and families with programming to improve educational attainment. The program has helped young parents who have not completed high school attain their high school degree.
  • The Fond du Lac Ojibwe School in Cloquet, Minnesota is adapting Check & Connect on the Fond du Lac Reservation. Check & Connect, developed by the University of Minnesota, is an evidence-based dropout prevention program shown to improve student attendance and behavior. The model places mentors in participating high schools and pairs them with students at risk of dropout to help keep them in school. The Fond du Lac adaptation combines the program with service learning and leadership training to help youth graduate from high school. The program's strong service learning component helps engage youth in their community and connect with the school to decrease dropout rates. Rural high schools who want to implement evidence-based models such as Check & Connect can learn from other schools who have successfully implemented these programs, such as schools in rural counties of Colorado. Hiring the right mentors is especially important for student engagement. Some schools have successfully implemented the program by partnering with organizations, such as AmeriCorps, to recruit qualified mentors.

Implementation Considerations

Student and family engagement is important in this model. Parent involvement in program implementation may help ensure that students are fully invested and committed to earning a high school degree. Involving parents and students in program planning can help ensure the program is tailored to meet student and community needs.

It can be challenging to engage students most at risk for dropping out of high school since these students may miss more school and may be less likely to participate in other school activities. Strategies such as engaging the right staff, including school administrators and teachers, to identify students who are most at risk for dropping out of high school, and marketing the program to the community may help improve student retention rates. For example, teachers and school administrators who live in the community may engage with parents, families, and the broader community by sharing information about the program at community events.

Resources to Learn More

Employment & Education – Rural Education
Website
Shares statistics and information on rural education from federal data sources and explains the connection to economic outcomes.
Organization(s): Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture