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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- After reporting Ottumwa’s dropout rate the highest in the state, KTVO wanted to see what programs were in place to help retain students.

Fact Finder talked with Ottumwa’s Superintendent, Jon Sheldahl, and he said the two biggest areas to prevent dropouts are in preschool and early college.

Early college helps bring relevance to a student’s high school education with enrollment in technical programs.

Sheldahl told Fact Finder they might look into new diploma programs this summer.

“We are one of the very few large districts in Iowa that only has one diploma requirement so we may look at an alternative diploma.  That would assist us in lowering our drop out rate,” Sheldahl said.

Sheldahl also told Fact Finder they are currently writing for a federal grant to help fund a detection program to locate and work with possible drop outs.

“This is the first year we have ever had this kind of a rate, so we are trying to get our arms around it right now too.  We’re writing for additional federal funding. We are continuing to try to expand the early college concept.  That’s really one of our main dropout prevention programs,” Sheldahl said.

Sheldahl said they want to help every child as best they can.

“When we have a school aged person here in the community we try to get them enrolled in school even if they are a high risk. That’s something else we have to look at, but we’re not happy about our dropout rate,” Sheldahl said.

Sheldahl said Ottumwa usually ranks below average, but never this bad.