Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement

About Us

The Office of Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement was launched in 2009 and was created to expand efforts in reducing the dropout rate, increasing the graduation rate and advancing credential attainment.

This effort is authorized by Colorado Revised Statute 22-14-101 and builds on the state’s commitment to ensure graduation and school success for all students and re-engaging out of school youth.

Authorizing Legislation

There are five components to this work:

Analyzing student data pertaining to dropout, completion rates, truancy, suspension and expulsion rates, safety and discipline incidence and student growth.
Coordinating efforts across CDE and leading initiatives to address dropout prevention, student re-engagement and adult education.
Identifying and recommending best practices and effective strategies to reduce student dropout rates and increase student engagement and re-engagement.
Tracking progress and results.
Securing and managing resources to fund services and supports.

The Dropout Prevention and Student Re-Engagement Unit includes five programs that support communities, local education agencies, and schools.

Fact Sheets and FAQ

Latest News and Updates

State's Graduation rate improves to 80.7 percent

Colorado achieves highest four-year graduation rate since 2010. State sustains reductions in dropout rate. The four-year graduation rate for the class of 2018 is 80.7 percent, which represents 2,540 more graduates than the class of 2017. Annual state dropout rate improves to an all time low. The 2017-18 dropout rate is 2.2 percent, an improvement of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year.

Training and Supports

National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC)
- Register Today: National Dropout Prevention Conference to be held in Colorado, October 5-8, 2019
  - Theme: Gaining New Heights in Dropout Prevention
  - Get a Discount: Colorado attendees can receive 10% off full conference registration with the code COED2019

Join the Colorado Re-Engagement Network hosted by Colorado Youth for a Change (CYC). Includes Network calls with schools and communities.

Dropout Prevention

School Attendance Matters

Daily attendance is essential to student success at all grade levels, too many absences can lead to students falling behind and ultimately dropping out. An area of focus is the state’s chronic absenteeism rate, which is when a student misses 10 percent or more of a school year or approximately 18 days a year. This is equivalent to two days every month.

Visit the Attendance Data webpage to see how your school or district compares to the state attendance, truancy and chronic absenteeism data.

Attendance Resources and Materials

NEW School Attendance Task Force Recommendations

The School Attendance Taskforce (SATF) was formed to address the rise in chronic absenteeism and truancy in Colorado, it included a cross-sector team of 50 leaders representing more than 26 schools, districts, organizations, judicial districts, and state agencies. Collectively SAFT teams conducted a statewide scan of intervention strategies, and identified common themes, which led to the six recommendations:

Create a multi-step process before a truancy court referral
Leverage funding from multiple sources
Focus attention on awareness of importance of attendance, truancy, and prevention and intervention supports that are available
Build collaborative communities to help families navigate and more quickly access resources in the community
Improve school climate
Increase the value of education

The SATF completed its work in December 2018 and released a PowerPoint presentation of their recommendations and attendance resource materials to assist school districts.

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