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Dropout Program Falls Short

By KRWG News

Texas – About 20 percent of Texas high school dropouts have graduated within a year in a $6 million recovery program that has fallen short of expectations.

Computer-based classes and career counseling have helped the 1,173 students enlisted in May 2008 in the Texas Dropout Recovery Pilot Program. But providing child care, night classes and financial incentives haven't yielded the higher graduation rates educators expected.

The Houston Chronicle reports that the biggest obstacle since the program's launch in August 2008 was tracking down dropouts.

Texas is offering participating districts up to $1,000 for each student who graduates. So much incentive money remains unspent that the state extended the first cycle of the program to May.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.