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RSU 10 presents updated dropout prevention and graduation completion plan; 2023–24 rates reported
Summary
Assistant Superintendent Matt Gilbert presented a redrafted dropout prevention and graduation completion plan and reported 2023–24 graduation rates of 87% at Buckfield and 85% at Mountain Valley High School.
Assistant Superintendent Matt Gilbert presented a redraft of RSU 10’s dropout prevention and graduation completion plan and outlined next steps for committee work, monitoring and outreach to students who have not completed graduation requirements.
Gilbert told the board the district’s prior plan dated to 2018 and that the committee prioritized a simpler, more executable document. "Simple plans get… executed, while more complex plans tend to fall by the wayside," he said, explaining the redraft focuses on definitions, identification, interventions, professional development, parental and community involvement, and monitoring.
What the board saw in the packet: the redrafted plan includes state definitions for dropout and graduation, themes for intervention (identification, interventions, resources, professional development, parental and community involvement, fidelity and monitoring), and a commitment to reconvene the dropout/graduation committee multiple times during the school year to evaluate effectiveness.
Graduation data presented: Gilbert said the district’s most recent official graduation-rate year is 2023–24. He reported Buckfield Junior-Senior High School’s graduation rate for 2023–24 was 87% and Mountain Valley High School’s was 85%. He told the board final, official graduation rates for the class of 2025 will be reported to the state on Sept. 1, after schools have opportunities during the summer to connect with students and complete requirements.
Next steps and priorities: the committee plans to establish baselines, collect further data and track whether interventions reduce chronic absenteeism and improve graduation outcomes. Gilbert said administrators at both high schools are developing individualized plans for students who did not complete requirements and noted the district needs to strengthen outreach to students who have disengaged from school.
Board questions: members asked how the district’s rates compare to state thresholds. Gilbert said the state’s tiered-support system flags schools below 70% for targeted support; RSU 10’s high schools were well above that threshold and have shown steady improvement since 2020.
Ending: The board received the revised plan and agreed to have the committee meet as scheduled; staff will return with data updates, timelines for committee meetings and measures for monitoring plan fidelity.
