51 %
of students in public schools are low income.
Low income students
are 4x more likely to be chronically absent
Chronically absent
high school students are 4x more likely to drop out.
Daniel’s Story
Struggling to make ends meet, there were days when Daniel didn’t have enough to eat, let alone a way to get to school. He needed to find a way out of poverty, but didn’t know where to start.
“There were days when my mom and I didn’t have enough to eat and our electricity had been turned off. When you’re in that situation, it’s kind of hard to focus on high school,” he explains. Daniel is an inquisitive and dedicated student with a strong work ethic and solid career plan. But his head wasn’t always in the books. Ever since his parents’ divorce, Daniel and his mother struggled to make ends meet, and planning for the future became impossible.
“Just getting to school was a challenge,” says Daniel. “the thought of graduating was nonexistent.” At school, a teacher noticed Daniel’s chronic absence and referred him to Learn4Life. “I wasn’t sure how it would be any better for me, but I figured I’d try it. I liked that they offered a flexible schedule.”
Daniel’s supervising teacher quickly determined the root of his attendance problem and took practical steps to help. “Once my teacher realized what was going on, she gave me bus passes to get to school. She even gave me food and firewood. I could tell she really cared.” As Daniel’s immediate needs were met, it freed up more time for him to focus on his education… and his future.