Intervene early. The first five years of a person's life are the most important when it comes to intellectual and emotional development. Find ways to get books into the hands of low-income families. Create parent-child reading groups. Ensure that from infancy through the start of school, a child has a book read to him every day. Early literacy promotes reading success and the love of reading is one of the biggest predictors of academic success.
Hold workshops for parents. Teach parents how to support their student and help her graduate on time. Workshops can include ways to help a child with homework, scheduling and time management skills, and brush-up tutoring on basic skill needs.
Establish internships and work-study programs through the school. Low-income students are sometimes delayed in graduating because they must work to earn money for basic needs. This can cause them to fall behind in classes or have to sit a semester out. When the local school district partners with businesses to create paid internships and work-study programs, it can support the student's work and school schedule. The student has the opportunity to earn needed money while the workplace can help make sure he graduates on time.
Hold goal-setting workshops for low-income students. Teach the skills needed to balance multiple priorities and set goals for achieving academic success. Teach the SMART goal system -- specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely.
Form support groups for high-risk students -- whether they are low-income or have other special needs. At the high school and college levels, peers have tremendous influence on student's life. Support groups can help students graduate on time by its members helping each other achieve their individual goals.
Meet with low-income students at the start of every semester. Create a plan together that accounts for all of the required courses. Adjust the plan as needed each semester, making sure that the student is on track to graduate.