Increasing The Graduation Rate: Promising New Data

            There is some promising news coming out of public education.  According to data by America’s Promise Alliance, the high school graduation rate nationally rose 3.5 percent from 2001 to 2009.  While the increase is modest, the increase raised the overall national graduation rate to 75% and reduced the number of schools considered as “dropout factories by 450[i]. 

            Although the increase in the graduation rate is good news, what has many educators optimistic is the approach being taken to reduce the dropout rate.  According to a report published by the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, a number of school districts across the country are focusing their efforts on 1) getting all students to read at grade level, 2) raising the compulsory school attendance age to 18, and 3) developing “early warning systems” to identify students who may be at risk for dropping out.  The report further stated that aiding the cause was a 2008 mandate by the Bush administration that required states to use the same method to compute graduation rates[ii].

            Educators are excited about this approach because it is showing progress in Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona where there has been a steady increase in the graduation rate over the past three years.  However, the greatest gains have been in Washington County Maryland.  The school district has increased the graduation rate to 92% despite having an unemployment rate that was higher than the national average and large number of students utilizing homelessness services[iii].

            Washington County’s high graduation rate is due to the district providing multiple pathways for current students and dropouts to earn credits toward graduation.  Dropouts can recover or earn credits online or take evening classes.  For pregnant and teen parents who have dropped out, the district has funded a family center where teen parents can attend classes and earn credits.  Lastly the district has also focused on data indicators that identify students who maybe at risk for dropping out.  Monitoring indicators such as attendance, and academic performance, the district has appointed Intervention Specialists to re-engage students and parents.  Intervention Specialists conduct home visits and connect students and/or the family to resources that may allow them to overcome the obstacle(s) that caused the student to dropout.

            The successful increase of graduation rates in several states should remind legislators and educators that taking a student-centered approach to improving areas of need can change lives and produce sustainable results.  When NCLB became the national education policy, it shifted the attention away from the learning differences of individual students’ and prescribed a one size fit all approach to learning, students suffered.  As NCLB proved to be flawed in its approach to have data drive instruction and academic achievement, under the Obama Administration, states have been able to opt out of many of the NCLB mandates by developing a district improvement plan to address areas of need.  Placing the responsibility back to states and individual districts has refocused attention on a student-centered approach.

            Finally, the successful increase of graduation rates also forces districts to finally embrace non-traditional approaches to instruction and space.  Many districts have been slow to embrace virtual technology as a legitimate tool of instruction.  However, there are examples of districts that have utilized virtual classes for credit recovery at non-school sites.  By focusing on getting the services to where the dropouts are, provides opportunities for dropouts to re-engage in school.  Utilizing spaces such as churches, mosques and community centers, are spaces that support education and would be a protected space for dropouts to eliminate the fear of failure that prevents many from re-engaging in school. 

Hopefully in the future districts will offer courses and webinars on improving areas of academic need for credit, hold virtual office hours for parents and students to talk with teachers, counselors, administrators, and offer tutoring sessions. 

            Increasing the graduation rate is one of a many avenues that need to be addressed before our educational system is able to produce graduates that can compete in the global economy.  As long as our efforts remain student-centered, educational reform can be achieved.

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[i] www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/report-us-makes-modest-ga_n_1360131

[ii] ibid

[iii] ibid