IN MADISON, POVERTY CAN RESULT IN TRUANCY FROM SCHOOL. NOT BEING IN SCHOOL RESULTS IN POOR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE, WHICH RESULTS IN LOST OPPORTUNITY. TRYING TO CHANGE ALL THAT THE 100 BLACK MEN ORGANIZATION HAS JUST LAUNCHED PROJECT SOAR TARGETTING 300 AFRICAN AMERICAN BOYS TO REDUCE MISSED SCHOOL DAYS AND BOOST HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES. THE PRESIDENT OF 100 BLACK MEN IS DR. FLOYD ROSE. DR. ROSE, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

FLOYD ROSE:

THANK YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO HOW BAD IS CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM IN MADISON SCHOOLS AMONG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MALES?

FLOYD ROSE:

BY THE STANDARDS OF THE MADISON METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT, WHEN YOU ARE ABSENT FROM SCHOOL 10% OF THE 180 DAYS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, THAT’S CONSIDERED TO BE CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, WHICH WOULD I GUESS MATERIALIZE INTO SOMEWHERE AROUND 18 DAYS. FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS, THE 2015 SCHOOL YEAR, OF ALL THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN STUDENTS, 38% OF THEM WERE CONSIDERED CHRONIC ABSENT FROM SCHOOL.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

HOW ASTOUNDING IS THAT NUMBER FOR YOU?

FLOYD ROSE:

THAT IS A VERY, VERY SOBERING NUMBER BECAUSE THAT ACTUALLY REPLICATES AND MOVES INTO THE REALM OF 20% OF THE SCHOOL YEAR BEING MISSED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO WHAT DOES THAT DO TO A STUDENT?

FLOYD ROSE:

WELL, THERE ARE NUMEROUS CONSIDERATIONS. IT IS ONE WHERE IT’S ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN THEIR LIFE AND ABOUT WHAT THEIR FUTURE WILL BE. WHEN THEY MOVE INTO A SITUATION OF ABSENTEEISM, THEY REALLY ARE ASSISTING IN WHAT WE HAVE TRIED TO DEAL WITH OF THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP. WE FIND THAT BY BEING ABSENT FROM SCHOOL, FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS THAT IN TURN BECOMES THE PRECURSOR TO THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, BECAUSE IF YOU’RE NOT IN SCHOOL, YOU CANNOT RECEIVE INSTRUCTION.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

SO TELL US, WHAT WILL PROJECT SOAR DO TO GET AT THIS PROBLEM?

FLOYD ROSE:

WE’RE GOING TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THREE APPLICATIONS. ONE IS TO HAVE ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING, WHERE WE CAN HAVE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED AND INSERTED INTO THE LIVES OF THESE YOUNG PEOPLE TO PROVIDE THE KIND OF GUIDANCE THAT MIGHT NOT BE THERE AT THIS POINT. WE’RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE TWO ACADEMIES. ONE WOULD BE A SUCCESS ACADEMY, WHERE WE’LL JUST TALK ABOUT MANHOOD, ABOUT HOW DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF THINGS WORK FROM A MALE PERSPECTIVE SO THAT THERE CAN BE SOME MODELING IN A POSITIVE, PROACTIVE WAY. THE THIRD IS A CAREER ACADEMY, WHERE WE CAN HELP YOUNG PEOPLE SET A BAR OF WHAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH IN LIFE THROUGH EXPOSURE FROM PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS AND ALL DIVISIONS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO YOU TO LAUNCH THIS PROJECT?

FLOYD ROSE:

THE DISCUSSION OFTENTIMES HAS GOTTEN INTO THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP, AND WHAT WE REALLY FIND IS THAT THE PREDICATE TO THAT DISCUSSION IS REALLY THE ATTENDANCE GAP. AND YOU REALLY CAN’T START TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS OR IS NOT GOING ON WHEN YOU HAVEN’T FIRST ARRIVED AT WHO IS HERE AND WHO IS NOT HERE. THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT IS OUR ORGANIZATION IS ABOUT STEWARDSHIP. WE BELIEVE THAT WE ARE VESTED AND WE HAVE BEEN PUT HERE TO DO THINGS FOR THOSE THAT ARE OUR COMMUNITY. AND WE TAKE IT EXTREMELY SERIOUS. AND THAT WE ALSO LOOK AT IT THAT MAYBE WHAT’S GOING ON IS THE TEST IS NOT WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THESE YOUNG PEOPLE. THE TEST IS GOING TO BE WHAT DID THOSE WHO COULD DO DO AT THE TIME THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE IT?

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALRIGHT. FLOYD ROSE, THANKS VERY MUCH.

FLOYD ROSE:

THANK YOU.