Removing barriers for 10 years One program in Iowa high schools is successfully graduating students and preparing them to enter the workforce. We’re iJAG – Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates – and we’re one of the most cost-effective dropout prevention and school-to-career solutions in Iowa.

1. Removingbarriers for10 years

2. 4,442 students (11%) dropped out of Iowa schools in 2008. Half of all heads of public assistance households are high school dropouts. Welfare costs for dropouts are estimated to be $1.8 million per year. 57% of Iowa prisoners are high school dropouts….costing $31,032 per individual annually.

3. One or more grades behind peers Low academic performance Basic skills deficient Excessive absences Lack of marketable occupational skills Lack of HOPE These are the symptoms…

4. Average students didn’t have access to the talented and gifted programs or the special education resources… they often fell through the cracks of the traditional education system.

5. A variety of barriers kept kids from graduating from high school and successfully transitioning to an entry level job that leads to a career…

6. …but Iowa leaders knew there was a way to eliminate those barriers.

8. “I loved iJAG because it was a small class and we talked a lot about our futures.” - Carolina Aguilar

9. iJAG today…

10. Last year, iJAG students contributed more than 9,000 hours of community service.

11. For the last 10 years, at least 93% of iJAG students graduated with their class or within one year of their class.

12. 93% of iJAG grads enroll in post-secondary education, join the military or are employed full time.

13. 24% of iJAG grads are the first generation in their family to graduate from high school.

14. Nearly 60% of iJAG grads are the first generation in their family to have any post-secondary education.

15. iJAG specialists use unconventional methods within conventional high schools …real-world, project-based activities that engage students who otherwise would not be engaged

21. “Before iJAG, I was immature and didn’t take school seriously. Now, I want to go to college.” - Ashley Jones Des Moines Lincoln High School

22. iJAG tomorrow…

23. In 1999 iJAG served 297 students in 12th grade. In 2009 we’ll serve more than 1,500 students in 8th grade through college.

24. We still have more work to do… …25 schools are on the waiting list for an iJAG program.

25. Placing an iJAG specialist into a school for one year costs $76,000. The school district is responsible for $15,000 of that figure. The difference comes from taxpayers and private-sector partners.

26. Thank you to our growing list of iJAG supporters St. Martin’s Episcopal ChurchPerry, Iowa Iowa Legislature

27. “I have never worked with a group of people that are as passionate about their work and outcomes as those that run iJAG.” - Michael Sadler Qwest Communications and iJAG Board Member

28. How can you get involved?

29. Donate.

30. Volunteer.

31. Speak out on behalf of iJAG in your community.

32. Together, we’ll keep knocking down barriers, and graduating students across Iowa.

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