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America's dropout rates are an unprecedented challenge in U.S. history – dropout rates and the lack of academic achievement is worse than ever with teen violence, pregnancies, drugs and crime more prevalent than ever before.

Drop Out Crisis Statistics

  • 1.3 million students drop out of high school each year;
  • One third of all children – and half of low income and minority youth – fail to graduate on time;
  • Only 10% of students who enroll in college graduate; and
  • Only 3% of 21st Century jobs are available for unskilled employees.

The Economic Impact

  • If the dropouts from the class of 2009 graduated, an additional $319 billion in wages, taxes and productivity over their working lives would have been generated;
  • If the entire 2009 class graduated, our nation could save $174 billion in healthcare costs; and
  • If the graduation rate of male students increased by 5%, the nation would gain $7.7 billion in crime related savings

icouldbe.org has partnered with more than 200 public schools in low-income communities to help 19,000 students discover their passions and realize educational and career goals. Our students attend schools where 50% of the students drop out and nearly 2/3rds live in poverty. Independent evidence demonstrates that icouldbe.org’s e-mentoring program, with its 30-Unit curriculum, shares the benefits of face-to-face mentoring – an exciting find as educators turn to mentoring as a classroom intervention and drop-out prevention strategy. Curricular pathways in Taking Control of your High School Experience, Career Exploration, College Preparation and Financial Literacy provide the foundation for measurable impact and provides at-risk students a leveled playing field for access to high quality educational resources.

icouldbe.org is a scalable online mentoring program that surrounds each student we serve with a team of five caring adults: three mentors in career fields of interest to the student, the student’s classroom teacher and an ICB program staff person, all of whom focus on the individual student’s academic achievement, career development and post-secondary preparation, resulting in statistically significant increases in self-efficacy among participants.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your support to keep our existing programs running and to scale up our award-winning programs to reach new neighborhoods and communities in need.

Marilyn, one of our mentees, writes, “I am 16 years old and will be the first person in my family to attend college. There is no doubt that icouldbe.org changed my life!”

Please consider supporting icouldbe.org today:
Contact Executive Director Kate Schrauth (kate@icouldbe.org or +1-646-734-8133) for more information or to schedule a website tour.

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