WORLD Channel Spotlights Dropout Crisis with Compelling and Original Documentaries in September

WORLD Channel Spotlights Dropout Crisis with Compelling and Original Documentaries in September

Inspired by the American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen initiative, exclusive collection focuses on education reform, the dropout crisis, and other current education issues

BOSTON, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In support of the public media wide initiative American Graduate Day on September 27, 2014, WORLD Channel will present a rich selection of education-themed documentaries that draw attention to the challenges students, parents, teachers, and school administrators face in today's education system and how they related to the increasing high school dropout rates in America. This lineup is inspired by American Graduate: Let's Make it Happen, a public media initiative that seeks to help communities address the high school dropout crisis and keep students on the path to graduating on time.

The American Graduate special focus includes the national premiere of CENTRAL STANDARD, an original series that follows five Chicago students as they prepare for high school. Viewers will be swept into the lives of these students and their families, along with teachers and administrators as they prepare for a test that will impact the rest of their lives, not just four years of high school.


CENTRAL STANDARD episodes premiere on WORLD Channel in the following order (check local listings):

Monday, September 22:
In 5 Eighth Graders, you meet Robert, Emma, Natalia, Gina, and Kyle. Like other kids their age, they have hopes, concerns, things they like to do for fun, and unique feelings about school. They are also competing to get into one Chicago's top high schools. Tune-in to watch the drama for these five students build as the series continues in 5 Schools.


5 Schools profiles the underlying philosophies of five different schools, all revealed through the way that principals, teachers, and administrators set the tone and interact with students. The stakes are high given that the students that make it into these schools are more likely to graduate than those in the general Chicago Public School (CPS) high school population, more likely to attend college, and they have access to programs that kids at other CPS high schools do not. Continue to follow the stories of these five students and the neighborhoods they live in in 5 Communities.


Monday, September 29:
5 Communities contrasts the stark demographic differences between the Chicago Lawn neighborhood, the North Center neighborhood, the city of Dolton, the Humboldt Park neighborhood, and the Wilmette suburb. Differences become apparent through the five students' home lives and the concerns of their parents. The competition for positions at selective enrollment high schools is fierce for them. The next episode, 5 Classes, takes a closer look at what lessons lay ahead of them as they enter the classroom.


5 Classes examines the S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) curriculum in five difference classrooms. This evaluation is used as a case study for examining different teaching styles, uses of technology, and concerns over testing in the schools. Be sure to tune-in for the final episode for WORLD's lineup, On Education.

Monday, October 6
On Education shares five ways to get into high school by way of following guidance counselors, parents, and students navigating the complicated selective enrollment process in Chicago. This finale contrasts the Chicago process to other suburban districts and boarding school options.


September education programming will also feature films from WORLD's original docu-series, America ReFramed, as well as programs from Independent Lens, P.O.V. and Frontline. This includes specials that explore pressing issues in education today through the eyes of U.S. Latino and Latina students in observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month. Beginning on September 15, 2014, this annual tribute recognizes and celebrates Hispanic and Latino heritage and culture.


"According to the 2014 Annual Building A Grad Nation report, the high school graduation rate in the U.S. has risen to above 80 percent for the first time in U.S. history," says Chris Hastings, executive producer, WORLD Channel. "While those gains are significant overall, our hope is to continue offer diverse perspectives through WORLD's programming to demonstrate how schools and local communities can continue to work together to keep students on the path to success and graduation, particularly in the many diverse communities around the nation."


Expand your views and perspectives on education and other important social issues in September and year-round. Check your local listings and get more info about WORLD Channel programming at www.worldchannel.org. Viewers can also join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter.


About WORLD Channel:
The WORLD Channel is a 24/7, multicast channel dedicated to delivering the best of public television's nonfiction, news and documentary programming as well as a growing schedule of original content from independent producers and communities of difference. The complementary website, www.WORLDchannel.org, expands on broadcast topics and fuels content across social media, providing opportunities for broad and diverse audience interaction. WORLD Channel is produced by WGBH/Boston, in partnership with American Public Television and WNET/New York, and in association with the Public Broadcasting Service and the National Educational Telecommunications Association. Funding for WORLD Channel is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Ford Foundation. Additional funding for "America ReFramed" is provided by the MacArthur Foundation.


About American Documentary, Inc.:
American Documentary, Inc. (AmDoc) is a multimedia company dedicated to creating, identifying and presenting contemporary stories that express opinions and perspectives rarely featured in mainstream media outlets. AmDoc is a catalyst for public culture, developing collaborative strategic engagement activities around socially relevant content on television, online and in community settings. POV is AmDoc's signature series produced for PBS.

Contact:
Mandy Miller
National Marketing, WGBH
617-300-5334
mandy_miller@wgbh.org

SOURCE WORLD Channel

WORLD Channel

Web Site: http://www.worldchannel.org


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