Despite a significant reduction in its drop out rate in recent years, the Davenport School District has called in some outside help to push it down even lower. This summer, the district hired a Utah-based non-profit called Graduation Alliance.
Superintendent Art Tate says the district has done all it can to adapt programs and work with young people who have dropped out.
Graduation Alliance has started contacting former Davenport students, offering them the chance to earn their diplomas by taking classes online. And Doctor Tate says other superintendents have given him "glowing" reports about its success.
Another benefit is that the cost for the district is "revenue neutral."
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Davenport's dropout rate is now nearly 6 per cent, down from 10 per cent just three years ago.
It's the third largest school district in Iowa with 16,000 students.