Are you aware that more than one million students who start high school this year will fail to graduate with their classmates in 4 years? Nationally, an average of only 69 percent of high school seniors graduates each year. Among minority students, that percentage rate drops to as low as 51 percent. The reasons for the low national graduation rate are numerous but a lack of engagement and a deficiency in basic skills (such as reading and writing at grade level) are significant barriers for many students.