0% found this document useful (0 votes)

738 views

Using Maps To Build Public Support For Dropout Prevention in Illinois

This essay shows location of dropout high schools in Illinois along with political districts. It shows how maps might be used to build enough votes to enact new policies to support education, youth development and high school drop out prevention programs.

Uploaded by

Daniel F. Bassill

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

0% found this document useful (0 votes)

738 views

Using Maps To Build Public Support For Dropout Prevention in Illinois

Uploaded by

Daniel F. Bassill

We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You are on page 1/ 14

If you drop out

of school,
prepare for
miserable life
Chicago SunTimes Editorial, 12/7/2011

This was 2011.

Not much has
changed. Why?

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net

We know the drop-out facts.
In 2007, Illinois had over 225,000 high school dropouts, age 16 to 24 – over 98,000
of these high-school age dropouts are high-school age (14 to 20 years old), which
includes over 45,000 high school age dropouts in Chicago.

The amount of information showing the high cost to society is overwhelming, and has
been available for many years. While we are asked to advocate for change and solutions
in state and federal law, how many law-makers in Illinois actually have high-dropout
schools in their districts…and reasons to use scarce government dollars to fix this
problem?

View the maps on the following pages. If you know of someone who is creating maps
that show poorly performing schools as overlays to electoral districts, then email
[email protected] so we can share this information on our web sites.

Daniel F. Bassill, D.H.L. is founder of the Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993) and

Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011). He is author of this and many other visual essays
that show strategies leaders can apply to fill high poverty areas of Chicago and other
places with mentor-rich programs that help kids move safely through school and into
adult lives, with jobs that enable them to raise their own kids free of poverty.

Bassill led volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs from 1975 to 2011.

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 2

Out of 59 State
Senators and 118
Representatives
only 51% are
needed to enact
new legislation.

This map shows high drop out Which districts

schools. The map at right shows will provide the
needed votes?
Illinois legislative districts.
Pg 3
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net
Which Members Have High
Drop-out Schools in their Districts?
On the following pages are maps showing current showing
Illinois House and Senate Districts.

While the facts showing how much high school dropouts

cost the state are strong, if there are no high drop-out
schools in a legislative district, what motivates that
representative to vote for policy and funding changes that
might put long-term programs in place that prevent many
youth from dropping out of high school?

Is anyone producing this type of map-analysis where the

drop-out schools and legislative districts are on one map?

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 4

Almost all legislative districts of Chicago include high
drop out schools. Every legislator has reason to vote for
policy changes. Are they?

How many votes in Senate and House represent districts with high drop-out
schools? Senate 15; House 21 votes.
Pg 5
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net
Using map overlays, locations of high dropout schools can be plotted*.
This is the North section of Illinois showing Legislative Districts.

High drop out

schools are
spread thinly
throughout
most of
Illinois. Most
are in urban
areas.

*Approximate
location of
high dropout
schools

Pg 6
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net
Using map overlays, locations of high dropout schools can be plotted*.
This is the Central section of Illinois showing Legislative Districts.

*Approximate
location of
high dropout
schools

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 7

Using map overlays, locations of high dropout schools can be plotted*.
This is the South Central section of Illinois showing Legislative Districts.

Who is doing
research to
map locations
of poorly *Approximate
performing location of
high dropout
schools? schools

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 8

Using map overlays, locations of high dropout schools can be plotted*.
This is the South section of Illinois showing Legislative Districts.

*Approximate
location of
high dropout
schools

Pg 9
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net
Illinois House Districts and locations of poorly performing schools
(2008) shown data mapping platform created by Tutor/Mentor Connection.

This platform is now only

available as an archive.

This is an example of the type of map that could be created for entire state.
Pg 10
Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net
Holding Elected Officials Accountable

Using maps like these voters in each district can better understand school performance and drop out rates in
their political districts and can better evaluate performance of elected officials in bringing resources to help
solve the program, or providing leadership that bring together business, faith and community groups to solve
the problem.

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 11

There are many data mapping platforms that you can use to create presentations
like this. View this concept map at http://tinyurl.com/TMI-MappingData

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 12

Resources
• High School Dropouts in Chicago and Illinois: The Growing Labor Market, Income,
Civic, Social, and Fiscal Costs of Dropping Out of High School
-https://news.wttw.com/sites/default/files/November%202011%20High
%20School%20Dropout%20Paper.pdf

• Illinois Task Force on Re-enrolling Students Who Dropped out of School -

https://www.companies-that-care.org/files/Force-Article.pdf

• Alternative Schools Network – http://www.asnchicago.org/

• Drop out maps created by REL Midwest at Learning Point Associates

https://www.isbe.net/Documents/hs_dropout_data_07-08.pdf

• Additional reading/Drop out crisis research links -

https://tinyurl.com/TMIL-DropOut

• Connect on social media platforms. Discuss drop out issues and strategies to
expand network of adults surrounding youth in high poverty areas –
https://tutormentorexchange.net/social-media

Tutor/Mentor Connection (1993-present); Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC (2011-present), www.tutormentorexchange.net Pg 13

DEVELOP THIS MAP CAPACITY
The maps in this essay are intended to encourage voters, volunteers, donors
and policy makers to think, learn and innovate ways to apply these ideas in
their own leadership and efforts to reduce poverty, increase graduation, and
prepare more youth for 21st century jobs and careers.

Use Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC websites as

resources for your own planning and actions.
http://www.tutormentorexchange.net
Http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com
http://tutormentor.blogspot.com
http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com
Haven't you had
ENOUGH? Create a student learning/research program at your university.
Email [email protected]