My child is struggling 
Now that my child has 
Education pays. A high school diploma raises a worker’s average weekly earnings from $451 to $652. A diploma decreases average unemployment from 12.4 percent to 8.3 percent. Graduating from high school opens the doors to college and career success.
With facts like these, it's not difficult to understand why one of our cornerstone goals is to ensure that every child graduates from high school with a regular diploma.
Did You Know?
- In 2011, just 68 percent of students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) graduated with a regular high school diploma.
- In three states – Louisiana, Nevada, and South Carolina – more students with SLD drop out than receive a regular high school diploma.
- 88 percent of students with learning disabilities (LD) expect to graduate with a regular high school diploma, but only 59 percent of parents expected the same.
These are just some of the startling findings that we describe in our ground-breaking new report Diplomas at Risk: A Critical Look at the Graduation Rate of Students with Learning Disabilities (to be released May 15, 2013).
The report helps parents, educators, and policymakers understand what they can do to improve the graduation rates of students with LD. Key takeaways include:
- Parents: Your child can get off track from a regular high school diploma as early as elementary school. Be vigilant.
- Educators: Students with LD expect to graduate from high school. Support them.
- Policymakers: Too many diploma options result in differing expectations for students with LD. Focus on high expectations for all.
Along with the release of the report, NCLD will hold a free webinar on May 16, 2013, from 12–1pm EST to discuss the findings in the report and what parents, school leaders, and lawmakers can do about them. Join us on May 16 for the Diplomas at Risk webinar.
