Will second-chance schools slow the dropout rate?

One of 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards’s proposals for strengthening public education focuses on the nation’s abysmal high-school-dropout rate. His campaign’s agenda item, “Helping Every Child Graduate Through Multiple Pathways,” suggests that many students who drop out of school regret their decision and could be encouraged to graduate were there more alternatives to the traditional, four-year plan, such as second-chance schools or transfer schools -- programs with flexible times and locations, individualized attention, and connections to youth services. Still, some people argue that dropout prevention is more likely to get results down the line, and that programs should be in place that encourage students to return to traditional high school, too. Tell us what you think.