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5 <br /> STATUS OF ORANGE COUNTY Education <br /> About 88 percent of Orange County youths age 16-19 years old are still in school, while 6.36 <br /> percent have dropped out. The remaining 5.64 percent,presumably have graduated. Of the group <br /> + who are not in school,slightly more than one-half (52.13 percent) have dropped out. About one- <br /> fourth of 16-19 year olds who are not in school are unemployed. Despite the presence of the univer- <br /> sity,more than one-fourth of persons age 25 and older have less than four years of high school educa- <br /> tion. Also, under-education for blacks is more than twice the rate for whites. <br /> Ca° STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE/IMPROVEMENT <br /> • Establish department of human services in schools <br /> —link with existing human services <br /> —Provide on-location personnel <br /> -to provide outreach <br /> -to bring needed services to potential clients <br /> -to coordinate with service providers outside of school <br /> -to provide parent education <br /> • Need for more cooperative effort between schools and sources of employment <br /> —Provide economic incentives to stay in school <br /> —Ensure appropriate education/training for employment <br /> —Coordinate school food services curriculum and food services employers <br /> -to provide education/training for future food services providers <br /> • Coordination of after-hours use of school facilities (such as computer labs and shops) to promote <br /> education and training <br /> —Encourage involvement by volunteers and businesses <br /> • Establish a career information center <br /> —Redirect services and funds for those non college-bound <br /> • Provide adequate funding for basic education and job training/retaining <br /> • Lengthen school day and school year to provide better educational base for both college-bound and <br /> non college-bound students <br /> • Establish a satellite Community College Campus in the County <br /> • Seek revenues/resources other than county property taxes <br /> • Expand extended-day programs <br /> —Utilize existing resources (e.g.,4-H and volunteers) <br /> • Start pilot program incorporating preschool (three and four year olds) into schools <br />