[magellan]

All the news is abuzz today about "Dropout Factories" or high schools who do not graduate at least 60% of any particular incoming freshman class. (ie 400 enter freshman year, less than 240 graduate).

Michigan is #16 with about 13% of its schools making the category, with most of the schools in the urban districts in Detroit, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Flint, Saginaw, Battle Creek, etc.

- Google News

The top ten states are:

South Carolina
Florida
Nevada
Georgia
New Mexico
North Carolina
Mississippi
Delaware
Texas
Alaska





Interactive AP Map of the U.S.


Critics claim it does not take into account students who enter freshman year and transfer out during the 4 years before graduation.

There does seem to be a correlation between poverty rates and graduation rates:

[baystater]

Wow. From my watch it been a full 20 mins and there been no trolls trying to put down your report Magellan. There must be a troll strike or something.

I'm a little taken-a-back by Delaware making it that high on the list though.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by baystater

Wow. From my watch it been a full 20 mins and there been no trolls trying to put down your report Magellan. There must be a troll strike or something.

I'm a little taken-a-back by Delaware making it that high on the list though.

Agree with the amazement that Delaware was so high. Not at all surprised that Michigan didn't make the top 10. Am a bit surprised it was #16 though.

Trolls have a hard time when cold hard facts are displayed. The stupid ones still try, but just come off looking like, well... trolls.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by baystater

Wow. From my watch it been a full 20 mins and there been no trolls trying to put down your report Magellan. There must be a troll strike or something.

I'm a little taken-a-back by Delaware making it that high on the list though.

No kidding. Like "good thing we're spending our hard-earned dollars paying union teachers to educate our kids to move somewhere else!!"

I think it actually has to do with the fact that for at least 20 years now, the mantra from parents, educators and counselors in Michigan has become "you cannot expect to quit high-school and get a job in a factory and make living". Now if we can just get graduates to stay here and help create jobs.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by magellan

No kidding. Like "good thing we're spending our hard-earned dollars paying union teachers to educate our kids to move somewhere else!!"

I think it actually has to do with the fact that for at least 20 years now, the mantra from parents, educators and counselors in Michigan has become "you cannot expect to quit high-school and get a job in a factory and make living". Now if we can just get graduates to stay here and help create jobs.

Every major (as in Fortune 1000) business with global HQ in Michigan was started in Michigan.

That means we need entrepreneurs with education. I'd say spending on education to be better than 16th on this list would benefit our entire state.

[Bydand]

I would agree that being top for education in the nation would be fantastic. Even at #16 surprised me because I thought MI had at least top 10 educational system. I know with the education I got all over the State, it was fantastic and better than many state give right now. I'm not even going to say how long ago I graduated HS. I did some work in a High School in Northern Maine and one of the 11th grade classes that was in session was teaching material that I was taught in the 6th grade in Scottville, MI. same books even. Almost 30 years after I was in 6th grade. I was shocked to say the least. MI is on the right track in education.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I would agree that being top for education in the nation would be fantastic. Even at #16 surprised me because I thought MI had at least top 10 educational system. I know with the education I got all over the State, it was fantastic and better than many state give right now. I'm not even going to say how long ago I graduated HS. I did some work in a High School in Northern Maine and one of the 11th grade classes that was in session was teaching material that I was taught in the 6th grade in Scottville, MI. same books even. Almost 30 years after I was in 6th grade. I was shocked to say the least. MI is on the right track in education.

We can definitely improve. I look at some of the surrounding Great Lakes States and midwest states on that interactive map and they are pretty impressive:

Indiana at 2.94% (compared to our 13%)
Ohio at 9.63%
Minnesota at 2.21%

What was shocking, other than Delaware being so bad, was West Virginia being so low at 3.48%. Isn't WV one of the poorest states in the country?

[Cliffie]

Check out that map! There's just one little red dot in the center of Michigan -- where is that, Alma? -- and NO brown spots at all. That is not too shabby.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Cliffie

Check out that map! There's just one little red dot in the center of Michigan -- where is that, Alma? -- and NO brown spots at all. That is not too shabby.

Must be right around the Mount Pleasant/Alma area. Kind of a big spot, could cover either of them.

[jmlowman]

I graduated in 1966 and, at that time, I think that schools in Michigan were something like #2, behind California. Well, I've lived in CA for more than 30 years, and am glad that we decided against having kids, because CA schools are down there with the southern US now. I have worked for the now-7th largest school district in the state ( ~60,000 students ) and have seen the dismal scores on standardized tests for 24 years now.

My wife and I had always felt that we received a first-class education in the Flint public schools and Junior College, and were well-prepared when we transferred out-of-state to a four-year university.

Nearing retirement, and I think I'd be tempted to move back if it weren't for the long, cold winters.