Academic Completion

With more than 1.2 million children dropping out each year, America faces a dropout crisis. The cost? More than $312 billion in lost wages, taxes and productivity over their lifetimes. according to Communities in Schools, one of America’s leading drop-out prevention partnerships.) These trends are reversible, but only when communities and public, private and nonprofit sectors work together.

United Way of Western Connecticut funds mentoring programs and after-school initiatives, focusing on the whole child and supporting dropout prevention programs.