LOS ANGELES — In an effort to reduce truancy and drop-out rates, The UCLA School Management Program (SMP) has begun offering two-day institutes called “Discover the Power of Advisories,” designed to ensure that each student in secondary schools connects on a meaningful level with at least one adult in the school community.

The Education Alliance at Brown University originally developed the Advisory Institutes based on research showing that students who feel engaged, recognized, and supported by school leaders are less likely to drop out, or to have poor attendance. The UCLA School Management Program has been authorized by Education Alliance to offer the Institutes.

Beginning in October, SMP’s “Discover the Power of Advisories” Institutes will offer teachers and administrators at secondary-level schools the opportunity to create a vision and action plan for building and implementing an Advisory program at their schools.

The first Institute will be held Oct. 18-19, 2005, in Los Angeles with a follow-up day to be determined. A location will be announced.

The conference fee is $650 and includes materials, continental breakfast, lunch, and parking.

University credit for the institute for an additional fee is pending approval.

SMP is a UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies center that has worked with public school teachers and school administrators since 1992.