National High School Graduation Rates Improve

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Talk to parents of these dropouts & at risk students. I believe you'll learn more. How school staff need parenting classes, don't they require child psychology courses, why are they unable to deal with these kids push them aside tell them "some kids are just not meant for school" (Hinkley high school, Aurora Colorado) they went to school to teach our kids but where have there priorities changed? And this child abuse issue, if your parents hadn't spanked you would you be in the successful position your in today. There is a difference between abuse and discipline, spare the rod spoil the child. Then you have the parents at home with kids who can't read in the 10th grade because of "no child left behind". Instead of financing the fancy bushes out front why not pay for parenting classes, incentives for these teachers to work with these kids instead of pushing them through. A bully principal gets an earfull from a parent next thing you know your getting a letter saying they have the choice to hold your next child back, no reason just threats. How could I leave out going to an orientation at your school and they spend 1/2 hr speaking to Spanish in Spanish first, hello this is America if you don't understand English get legal here and learn it! I realize I'm kinda going back an forth here but having 4 grown children an now watching my friends families go through the same issues is ridiculous, the 11yr old M. Unitt, S middle school Aurora CO, put in a box daily (shutting door on his ankle at least twice last wk!!), not being allowed to use the restroom he peas himself, suspended at least once a wk since school yr began because kids teasing an he gets in trouble, morning detention everyday because he doesnt want to do his work, after being yelled at by teacher in 1 ear an principal on the other why the heck would he want to go to school. Oh I could go on but I'm running out of time and space, listen to the parents of these dropouts and "at risk" they know how these meetings with teachers really go, one sided, snickering even, they don't know what families are going through at home open your eyes and try to imagine at this rate who the hell are we gonna have running this country in 10-20yrs from now. Do people even think about that, an average American has an 8th grade learning level, say WHAT!? Oh man, I know America is in trouble in so many ways but our children are our future!!

Leiloni of CO 2:09PM December 09, 2012

How many high school classes have graduated 100% of their class from college. All, 100%, of my high school graduating class graduated from college. And we did it without an expensive school. No computers, high tech drawing boards or expensive air conditioners. We did it with good teachers and support from parents & relatives and the community.

Bill of TX 2:09PM November 07, 2012

This is eye opening

Letitia Sykes of IL 9:14AM June 21, 2012

Looks like requiring Algebra II for graduation, or Algebra I for that matter, is not working well for LAUSD.
Will our experts ever admit that not all students can handle that kind of abstract reasoning? I didn't think so.

carol of MT 1:03PM May 30, 2012

truly i don't belive dropout rate is in lowering cause every year thers less and less students graduating in my area

sandfece2 of KS 10:34AM February 29, 2012

What about Native Americans?................

Anonymous of SD 3:18PM November 01, 2011

Just makes me wonder...what are 43% of these kids doing after high school has come and passed...and 22% for caucasians and 20% for Asians are good numbers? What type of life can one expect without a high school diploma? What type of attribute to society is that benchmark? I am not saying it can't happen, but those are just frighteningly abysmal numbers to me..

B S of PA 11:54PM June 20, 2011

But what % of students graduating from high school can go on to college without taking remedial classes (stuff they should have learned in high school)
Seems we are giving diplomas to students who don't earn them.
We are just watering down the education system.....
In los angeles school district the drop out rate for latino students is 50%
only 10% of the latino students who do graduate can actually attend college
without taking remedial classes.........
all this is very sad................

bob jones of CA 12:43PM June 16, 2011

While increasing school-life expectancy should be a top priority for our nation's education system, we can't forget that our economic competitors are increasing their secondary school completion rate faster than we are (72% is below the OECD average), and that their diplomas often represent more learning than ours do. This is good news, but we cannot be satisfied. Making sure that our school systems are presenting viable alternatives for the large numbers still excluding themselves must be a priority, and in most cases this implies the need for truly modern, competitive vocational education. California's STEM Learning Network has frequently documented the mismatch between the needs of our labor market and the output of our schools, and the latter have been too slow to adjust to a changing world. That's why we need new school models to regain national competitiveness. Consistent with this, I have worked with my trustees to develop a model devoted to achieving President Obama's goal of our nation regaining our status as number one in the world in college completion by the year 2020.

Bruce William Smith of CA 4:00PM June 14, 2011

This is encouraging news. The national focus on this crisis is having an impact, but there is much work to be done. Partnering with the most underserved communities in the nation, we are encouraged by the progress we are seeing with our school turnaround efforts and with students who have dropped out of school. We are pleased that the 39 students who received their diplomas from our Ohio drop out recovery centers this month are part of this positive trend.
- Jeff Wahl, President & CEO, EdisonLearning
www.edisonlearning.com

Jeff Wahl of NY 12:24PM June 13, 2011