The Spotlight: Left Behind, Dropping Out

Every year, more than a million kids drop out of school. Without a diploma, these kids will have a tough time succeeding. But the problem starts much earlier than high school.

In this hour of The Spotlight, we'll ask the big question: What works? We’ll talk to Arne Duncan, the education secretary in charge of turning around the problem. And we'll look at the dropout crisis through the eyes of the kids themselves.

This special is hosted by former NPR correspondent Andrea Seabrook. It's part of American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, a public media initiative, supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), to help students stay on the path to graduation and future success.

This program originally aired on Saturday, September 15th.