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After 7 years teaching, I don't look at numbers like this anymore. I know they don't mean anything. You can push graduation rates up by dummying down your curriculum so anyone can pass and you can push graduation rates up by forcing kids who should not graduate through the system. I've seen too many kids "graduate" who should not have over the years to even look.
After 7 years teaching, I don't look at numbers like this anymore. I know they don't mean anything. You can push graduation rates up by dummying down your curriculum so anyone can pass and you can push graduation rates up by forcing kids who should not graduate through the system. I've seen too many kids "graduate" who should not have over the years to even look.
Damn I've gotten cynical....
I agree. That's why I think it is ridiculous that they include HS graduation in school district performance measures. Since the HS graduation rate can be manipulated, there is no sense in using it to compare districts or states.
In states like NH, the high graduation rate simply means most of the people here are relatively well-off (you have to be, to live here). Graduation rates are linked to socioeconomic class.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Other than Iowa and maybe Wisconsin they all look pretty bad. The data is very misleading, however, when taken literally. There are many factors that throw the numbers off when done statewide. Much better to consider the city
you might be considering to live in. Our high school, for example has a 97% graduation rate, while if you go to the eastern part of the state to an agricultural area like Yakima, it's only 75%.
Sure, kids are graduating, but can they read??? People complain about standardized testing but the reality is, it is one way to compare schools nationally, same test, taken on the same day, same material. A lot of states are moving toward using the ACT as their graduation standard test. I think the results are more telling...
Sure, kids are graduating, but can they read??? People complain about standardized testing but the reality is, it is one way to compare schools nationally, same test, taken on the same day, same material. A lot of states are moving toward using the ACT as their graduation standard test. I think the results are more telling...
ACT/SAT are a better gauge because they are national tests..same test given to all students.
State tests are all different and pretty much at the lowest bar allowed to get their high numbers.
An even more chilling report is the ACT "College Readiness" benchmark test given to graduates.
Only 67% of US graduates are prepared for college Math and 44% are prepared for college Reading.
Science, which is pretty much ignored by the schools, came in with 37% prepared for college Science classes.
ACT/SAT are a better gauge because they are national tests..same test given to all students.
State tests are all different and pretty much at the lowest bar allowed to get their high numbers.
An even more chilling report is the ACT "College Readiness" benchmark test given to graduates.
Only 67% of US graduates are prepared for college Math and 44% are prepared for college Reading.
Science, which is pretty much ignored by the schools, came in with 37% prepared for college Science classes.
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