Student Voices: Goal is to improve graduation rates in the QC

Lucero Pizano was happy to give her point of view during a gathering of local students on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The 12-year-old sixth grader wants people to know there are many things she likes about school, but there are also problems. “I hope people stop being racists. … They say names like ‘border hopper’ and […]

Lucero Pizano was happy to give her point of view during a gathering of local students on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The 12-year-old sixth grader wants people to know there are many things she likes about school, but there are also problems.

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“I hope people stop being racists. … They say names like ‘border hopper’ and I tell them to stop, but they don’t stop,” said the East Moline girl during a meeting of Glenview Middle School students on Tuesday, Nov. 12. Lucero and about 60 other Glenview students took part in a United Way Quad Cities discussion called Student Voices that started Tuesday and goes through Thursday, Nov. 14. Those three days of discussions will include about 850 middle school students from 13 schools in Scott and Rock Island counties. The small group guided discussions give students a chance to reflect on school experiences, discuss what matters most to them and collaborate on ideas for positive change. Tuesday’s discussions focused on battling school absenteeism and improving graduation rates. The Quad Cities, like much of the nation, is grappling with chronic absenteeism with 30% of middle school students missing 10% or more of the school year. That’s equivalent to at least 18 school days. “This problem often takes root in middle school, establishing a pattern that can have a long-term impact on students’ academic outcomes and future opportunities,” according to information from United Way. Kristin Humphries, superintendent of the East Moline School District, was at Tuesday’s discussion session at Glenview. He said a big part of the student absenteeism problem started after the pandemic. Before the pandemic, absenteeism rates were relatively fine. After the pandemic, those rates went up and have stayed up. He said part of the problem is that many people adopted different attitudes about being ill and going to school. “My mom would say ‘if you’re not throwing up, you’re going to school,’” said Mr. Humphries, adding that he understands that many parents today want to keep their kids at home when they show signs of illnesses. But he said that solutions need to be found to cut down on absenteeism and get more students in the classroom. Part of that quest to find solutions started Tuesday with the Student Voices. Around 150 volunteers and community members are helping guide those discussions. “By bringing students together to discuss the real issues they face in their schools and their lives, we’re fostering a sense of shared accountability and empowering them to become problem solvers within their campuses and communities,” said Rene Gellerman, United Way Quad Cities president and CEO, in a news release. At Glenwood, the students were divided into three rooms. One of those rooms was the library with three tables set up for students and their discussion leaders. The students were given a series of questions meant to get ideas on improving student attendance. Some of those questions included:

• What can you do to improve attendance and engagement?
• What can be done to improve school?
• What are some of the outside factors impacting attendance?
• What are some of the important issues at school?

At one of the tables, volunteers Joshua Sutor and Nora Bosslet presented the questions and helped guide the discussion. Even though the main focus on the day was on improving student attendance, the comments helped spur a wide range of topics.  Some of the topics and student comments included: There’s a big need to fight racism in school; many students face bullying, especially online bullying; students feel there is too much homework handed out by teachers; many teachers need to open the lines of communications with students; and there needs to be more fun activities at school. “I was glad to see the students open up and talk about these issues,” said Mr. Sutor of Galesburg, Illinois, who is a senior at Western Illinois University. When those Student Voices talks started, many of the Glenview students remained silent and needed a little encouragement to get talking. Mr. Sutor and Ms. Bosslet both provided that encouragement, and soon many of the 13 young people at their table were getting in on the discussions. When the Student Voices talks are complete, a team of about 30 WIU students will analyze the input from the discussions, uncovering themes and student insights. The findings will be shared with the community, including local school districts, next spring. The findings will also guide United Way’s investments and program recommendations. Students Voices is a collaborative effort led by United Way QC Education Council and made possible through support from IHVMCU, Empeople Credit Union, Ascentra Credit Union and The Family Credit Union.  “Listening to students is the first step toward breaking down the barriers they face in school and life. And, with their insights, United Way is paving the way to improve high school graduation rates and strengthen our future workforce for in-demand jobs,” said Allison Videtti, chief marketing officer at Empeople Credit Union in Moline, in a news release.