It is widely understood that having an education will set anyone up for success in the future. However, 16% of East Chicago students will not receive their high school diploma. Integrated Student Services (ISS) is a program offered in several East Chicago schools by a collaboration of organizations that includes Communities in Schools of Lake County, School City of East Chicago, Ivy Tech Community College, HealthLinc and Geminus Corporation. This program, funded by a Collaboration Grant issued by Foundations of East Chicago, works to provide a multitude of services to students to help combat the many factors that contribute to students becoming non-graduates. The program explains that there are academic as well as non-academic factors that can stand between students and educational success. These factors are as follows:
Academic Factors
-History of school failure/retention
-Low acuity scores, reading or math achievement
-Special education/disability
-Attendance problems
-Behavioral problems, history of suspensions, high-risk peer group
-Disengagement from school, low expectations, lack of extra-curricular involvement
-Economically disadvantaged, highly mobile or non-native English speaking families
Non-Academic Factors
-Pregnancy/teen parents
-Lack of value placed on education
-Family issues or lack of family support
-Lack of student motivation
-Discipline infractions
-Problematic social associations
-Health issues
For more information on student success and the ISS program, visit foundationsec.org.
