Tuesday, November 30, “Building a Grad Nation” from the non-profit America’s Promise Alliance hit the news. Fewer students in fewer school districts are dropping out before they graduate from high school. One step in the right direction according to most education gurus. Five years to do even more.
Not all states have changed. High school graduation rate depends on many factors that have much to do with the regional economy and nothing to do with a particular school. Sometimes techniques are used to manipulate the numbers. For instance, there is little dropout to report when students can be dropped from the school district rolls. It is as if those children have moved, not dropped out. Another way to keep students enrolled is to have students finish required courses by their senior year, then they could work half time also. Still enrolled, if only half time, to finish courses that must be taken as a senior.
Another article, however, from the online Washington Post Tuesday, November 30, reports that students in failing schools are using the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) option and transferring to public schools in a Maryland District that had test scores showing those students were proficient. Just what the federal law supports.
Of course, the schools doing well aren’t prepared for overcrowding that follows when so many students transfer as the law suggests. Why not? Schools losing students aren’t prepared for so few students in classes. Why not? According to the National Governor’s Association it is easy to analyze the differences. Race and class are issues.
In elementary schools, the answer seems to be beyond anyone’s ability to act. This blog has examined models that do work. Make sure all the schools in a district are modeled that way, instead of only schools in the “good” area of the district. One can scan any state and find schools doing well. The NGA points out change in North Carolina and Missouri.
All public, private, charter, parochial, from elementary to secondary schools, need to use standards that can be compared across the country. All school boards must spend their time focused on proficiency, using all tools needed to ensure success. All reports must state that it takes a long time to change, but change must happen.
No school wants to be called a “dropout factory.”