Franklin is an internationally recognized author, and motivational speaker.Franklin is a professional educator who as a former classroom teacher, school counselor and school administrator lowered the dropout rate in an all-minority, 2/3 poverty level,inner-city high school from 21.9% to 2.1%, increased family engagement 1440%, and sent 72.1% of his first generation high school graduates to post-secondary school.Franklin is the author of 12 books dealing with preventing school violence, dropout prevention, at-risk learners, leadership and school culture. He was previously awarded the Individual Crystal Star Award by the National Dropout Prevention Network (NDPN) and the International Association for Truancy and Dropout Prevention honored Mr. Schargel with its “Program of the Year Award”. He has been nominated for the Brock International Prize in Education for "demonstrating clear evidence of success in dropout prevention and for retaining students in alternative education environments." Franklin is one of nine people, globally, to be nominated.