Kansas DropINs is a dropout prevention initiative within the Kansas State Department of Education. We are committed to seeing all children in Kansas graduate from high school ready for the next phase of life.
Kansas DropINs was created in 2009 under the Kansas Department of Health and Environment with America's Promise Alliance and State Farm funding.
The purpose of Kansas DropINs is to share information, tools and resources that schools and communities can use in their own dropout prevention programs. Kansas DropINs also publishes a quarterly newsletter and maintains a Facebook page, that highlights the most current information and resources. Lastly, Kansas DropINs staff is available to provide technical assistance to schools and communities.
Our Vision:
Every child in Kansas will graduate from high school prepared for life, work and/or postsecondary education, instilled with a passion for lifelong learning.
The Five Promises:
We believe that all children are entitled to receive the following five fundamental promises. Research has shown that youth who receive at least four promises are twice as likely to get A’s in school, twice as likely to avoid violence, 40% more likely to volunteer and two-thirds more likely to be generous, respectful and empathetic than those who receive one or no promises. Click here to view the Five Promises handout.
Caring adults/role models
Every child and youth needs and deserves support and guidance from caring adults in their families, schools, and communities, including ongoing, secure relationships with parents and other family adults, as well as multiple and consistent formal and informal positive relationships with teachers, mentors, coaches, youth volunteers, and neighbors
Safe places and constructive use of time
Every child and youth needs and deserves to be physically and emotionally safe everywhere they are — from the actual places of families, schools, neighborhoods and communities to the virtual places of media — and to have an appropriate balance of structured, supervised activities and unstructured, unscheduled time.
A healthy start and healthy development
Every child and youth needs and deserves the healthy bodies, healthy minds, and healthful habits and choices resulting from regular well-child/youth health care and needed treatment, good nutrition and exercise, comprehensive health knowledge and skills, and role models of physical and psychological health.
Effective education for marketable skills and lifelong learning
Every child and youth needs and deserves the intellectual development, motivation, and personal, social-emotional, and cultural skills needed for successful work and lifelong learning in a diverse nation, as a result of having quality learning environments, challenging expectations, and consistent formal and informal guidance and mentoring.
Opportunities to make a difference through helping others
Every child and youth needs and deserves the chance to make a difference in their families, schools, communities, nation and world – through having models of caring behavior, awareness of the needs of others, a sense of personal responsibility to contribute to larger society, and opportunities for volunteering, leadership and service.
-Every Child Every Promise