Will this help graduation rates? (Dallas: public schools, university, tax)

[Nomadic9460678748]

http://blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/archives/2010/01/post_102.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=fee d&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Ftexaspol itics+(Texas+Politics) (http://blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/archives/2010/01/post_102.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=fee d&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+houstonchronicle%2Ftexaspol itics+%28Texas+Politics%29 - broken link)

What do you think?

[FarNorthDallas]

Make kids be in school before they can get their drivers license? No, I don't think that will help drop out rates. Fewer teenagers are getting their drivers license at 16 anyway.

What would help drop out rates is making high school relevant to the non-college bound kids.

Or maybe even move graduation to after 10th grade and then give kids the choice to attend a 2 year state paid vocational school or a 2 year senior high in preparation for college.

[Nomadic9460678748]

Originally Posted by FarNorthDallas

Make kids be in school before they can get their drivers license? No, I don't think that will help drop out rates. Fewer teenagers are getting their drivers license at 16 anyway.

I agree. This horse and carrot method of incentivizing education seems destined for an assortment of complications. Will teachers start feeling pressured to pass students? Will quantity suffice for quality in education? I think it's a veritable recipe for disaster.


What would help drop out rates is making high school relevant to the non-college bound kids.

In principle I'm opposed to placing students in academic tracks, in reality I'm in complete agreement with you that a significant portion of the student population is not interested in using their high school education as a feeder for a university education. Even so, I'd like to think that public schools have an obligation to prepare students to intellectually and vocationally make worthwhile contributions to their communities. I don't have children, but I see the creation and support of sound public education as a vital to the long-term health of a region's economic, social, political, and cultural prospects.

Or maybe even move graduation to after 10th grade and then give kids the choice to attend a 2 year state paid vocational school or a 2 year senior high in preparation for college.

Interesting. So you're saying that high school should be broken up into two separate two year entities? I'm intrigued by the idea but wonder about the logistics of implementation? Not very may districts would be interested if it involves added costs or tax increases.

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