Anchorage School District Banks on Preschool to Boost Graduation Rates

With an eye towards boosting high school graduation rates, the Anchorage School District plans for its share of stimulus funding include adding preschool. According to a June 25 editorial in the Anchorage Daily News, the district “will begin offering preschool classes in parts of town with the biggest need, and where there are schools with space available.” In the editorial, schools Superintendent Carol Comeau notes that “some children head down the path toward eventually dropping out during their pre-school and kindergarten years.”

The district also plans to use the stimulus funds to keep marginal students in school, help students set career and education goals, and for early alert monitoring for students in danger of failing, as well as for one-time expenses such as staff training, technology upgrades, building projects, and new textbooks.

The Anchorage Daily News editorial can be found here:
http://www.adn.com/opinion/view/story/844011.html.