Posted February 2, 2011 10:43 a.m.

February 01, 2011 Communities in Schools of Pennsylvania, an affiliate of the nation’s largest dropout-prevention organization, applauds Allentown School District Superintendent Gerald Zahorchak for bringing the dropout issue to the public’s attention (“Zahorchak: Allentown graduation rate ‘shameful’ “). The district’s 40 percent graduation rate is regrettably symptomatic of a statewide issue. This statistic was realized through a new federally mandated formula that is an important tool to identify schools that need additional resources.

Pennsylvania’s dropout problem can be directly linked to crime, health problems, unemployment and a loss in tax revenues — issues that touch everyone and cost Pennsylvanians billions every year. Three out of every four Pennsylvanians in our state prisons failed at some point to complete their education. In addition, the mortality rate for adults without a high school education is 2.5 times higher than for those who graduate, and dropouts are four times more likely to be unemployed than high school graduates.

As we have done for years, Communities in Schools stands ready to work with Allentown and districts throughout Pennsylvania to solve a problem that is typically ignored. In fact, the first nationally accredited affiliate of Communities in Schools in our commonwealth is the Lehigh Valley affiliate. Together, we must address the unmet needs of children so that they may make valuable contributions to our communities.