[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 135 (Friday, September 19, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1479]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN RECOGNITION OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING AND THE AMERICAN GRADUATE 
                               INITIATIVE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 18, 2014

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize support for public 
broadcasting and the American Graduate initiative in advance of 
American Graduate Day on September 27th.
  Each year nearly one million students fail to graduate on time, and 
public media is working with partners across the nation to reach a goal 
of a 90 percent high school graduation rate by the year 2020. With the 
help of the American Graduate initiative and the many other 
institutions and initiatives grappling with this issue, remarkable 
progress toward this goal has been made in recent years. American 
Graduate Day puts faces on the dropout numbers and increases 
understanding of the risks and solutions through national and local 
content, covering all facets of the dropout issue for broadcast, web 
and mobile platforms.
  An October 2013 study conducted by the Everyone Graduates Center at 
Johns Hopkins School of Education finds that the American Graduate 
initiative has succeeded in building community capacity to meet the 
national priority of ending America's high school dropout crisis. More 
than 80 public radio and television stations in over 30 states have 
joined forces with over 1000 partners and at-risk schools to shed light 
on the problem and share solutions. The dropout rate in the tri-state 
area is alarming, and I see students in my district struggling to 
complete their education every day; I support this important initiative 
that delivers real impact in our fight to end this dropout crisis.

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