HINDS COUNTY, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
Hinds County Public Schools are trying to get the year started right with a summit for parents Saturday.
They're learning how to help their children through the school year, and how to prevent their child from dropping out.
Hinds County's school completion rate hovers at 88 percent.
"We had the largest decrease in dropout rates that any other school in metro area this year, our dropout rates are going down which is good," said Superintendent Dr. Stephen Handley.
Inside the lecture hall, they're learning about the common core standards, and the skills students need for taking the new standardized tests.
Theresa Woodard works for the Hinds County School District, but she brought her 13 year old son, Ty, to the summit.
"It's beneficial for the kids, that's why I brought him out," Woodard said. "It's not his school district, but he needs to hear that information that's being presented today."
Thurston Wright teaches health at the Agricultural High School, and he's an attendance coach.
He's come to the summit to collect information for the children he gets to know.
"I'm constantly reaching some," Wright said. "I have two children right now that I'm trying to get to go to Xavier University in New Orleans to be medical doctors."
"Kids need more help than just getting a good education," Wright said. "They need to understand that education is the key to help them to improve their lives."
Click here for more resources on dropout prevention.
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