Quebec has announced a new action plan to try to keep students in school, in part by setting dropout targets.

The graduation targets are part of a 13-point plan announced at a school in Ville-Emard Wednesday by Education Minister Michelle Courchesne.

Quebec's dropout rate now stands at 28 per cent -- the goal is to cut it to 20 per cent by 2020.

"One young person dropping school is one too many," Courchesne told the news conference.

Quebec's 10-year plan is to boost the provincewide success rate to 80 per cent from the current level of 72 per cent.

Among other things, the province also wants to identify children with difficulties and intervene earlier.

Some would be met one-on-one or helped with their homework. Students would be given additional resources in their high schools and there would be a phased-in reduction in elementary-school class sizes.

Maximum class sizes in underprivileged schools would drop to 20 from 24 students and in regular schools the cap would fall to 26 from 29 students.

Tour

The education minister plans to visit schools to get personal feedback.

She has also appointed a special committee to watch closely over implementation of the succeess plans, do follow-up and make recommendations on changes, if needed.