Solution Tree announces the release of Timebomb DVD

BLOOMINGTON, IN - Solution Tree, a premier educational publisher and professional development provider, has announced the release of a powerful new video presentation by internationally recognized author and presenter Mike Mattos. Entitled "Timebomb," the DVD focuses on the subject of high school dropout rates and their consequences. Images and facts concerning this vital subject are underscored by Beck's song of the same name.

"Timebomb" serves as a powerful wake-up call to the consequences of forsaking students' education. Mattos's research highlights the lifelong negative effects that an incomplete education has on students' futures: illiteracy, poverty, poor quality of life, and increased illness. High school dropouts not only earn less in their lifetimes, Mattos shows, but also are far less likely to have health insurance, and have an almost decade shorter predicted lifespan than a college graduate. Most states estimate their upcoming need for prison cells by looking at their state's third-grade reading scores, he says, which helps determine future crime rates.

This video provides up-to-date statistics and facts showing the increasing benefits of a high school diploma, college degree and advanced degree to enable today's students to compete in the global marketplace, as well as the real-dollar cost to society for failing to educate its youth.

"In this coming school year, over one million students will drop out of school," says Mattos. "It's a call to arms. It's an understanding and acknowledgement of how important our work is."

Also included on the DVD is a bonus section including an interview with Mattos, who specializes in uniting teachers, administrators and support staff to transform schools by implementing response to intervention and professional learning communities. In the interview, Mattos discusses why the video's message is so important right now, highlighting the three powerful potential purposes addressed in the video: seeing why educators do the work, bringing context to the work, and sharing these statistics and research with the communities and families that educators serve. Mattos also discusses the urgency of reducing dropout rates and preparing children for a better future.

Among the critical messages presented by "Timebomb":

• Dropouts are three times more likely to be unemployed and twice as likely to be working poor.
• Over 80 percent of the incarcerated population is high school dropouts.
• School dropouts cost the United States $240 billion annually in social-service expenditures and lost tax revenues.
• A 10 percentage-point increase in graduation rates has historically reduced murder and assault rates by approximately 20 percent.

After watching this DVD, viewers will have a deeper understanding of how education powers and uplifts every aspect of a person's life, health and well-being; the positive effect on subsequent generations; and the damaging effects that a lack of education can produce.

"Timebomb" is now available to order at SolutionTree.com.

About the Author

Mike Mattos is an internationally recognized author, presenter and practitioner who specializes in uniting teachers, administrators and support staff to transform schools by implementing response to intervention and professional learning communities. Mattos cocreated the RTI at Work™ model, which builds on the foundation of the PLC at Work™ process by using team structures and a focus on learning, collaboration and results to drive successful outcomes.

He is former principal of Marjorie Veeh Elementary School and Pioneer Middle School in California. At both schools, Mattos helped create powerful PLCs, improving learning for all students. In 2004, Marjorie Veeh, an elementary school with a large population of youth at risk, won the California Distinguished School and National Title I Achieving School awards.

About Solution Tree

For nearly 20 years, Solution Tree has worked to transform education worldwide, empowering educators to raise student achievement. Every year Solution Tree helps teachers and administrators confront essential challenges, with more than 30,000 educators attending Solution Tree events and more than 3,000 on-site professional development days in schools. Solution Tree has a catalog of over 400 books, videos and online courses and is the creator of Global PD, an online tool that facilitates the work of professional learning communities.