Have you experienced something similar at your school?
Every teacher agreed that Joaquin was one of the brightest students in school. They also knew, however, that he wasn’t likely to graduate if he couldn’t get to school more often.
Most of Joaquin’s teachers understood why he was missing class so much: With his mother working two jobs and his father out of the picture, he was helping care for three younger siblings.
“My school started earlier than their schools,” he said. “So by the time I got them all to school in the morning, I’d already missed one class and was late to another.”
He wasn’t alone. More than 7 million students experience chronic absenteeism, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That’s why leaders across the nation are partnering with Graduation Alliance to offer a program that allow students like Joaquin complete some classes online, while attending others in person.
That’s all it took to help Joaquin meet his true potential. Today he’s back on track for graduation, and working with a post-secondary transitions counselor to identify college programs that will allow him to continue helping to raise his younger siblings while he pursues his goal of earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.
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