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WASHINGTON — Seventeen of the nation's 50 largest cities had high school graduation rates lower than 50 percent, with the lowest graduation rates reported in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, according to a report released Tuesday.
Most distressing. I saw figures on Good Morning America just this a.m. -- numbers of graduating HS Seniors as low as 25% in Detroit, 30+% in Indianapolis. I had NO idea the numbers were that high in some areas, and I am only recently retired from teaching HS English.
I know the kids where I taught would complain about the curriculum being meaningless (and on some level, I must agree with some of that), and being sick of feeling like they were tested, tested, tested, which I also had to agree with, too. If a course is a graduation requirement, and the student passes the end-of-course test with a % proficiency the State will accept, then what-in-the-heck is up with all the superfluous testing to meet all sorts of silly criteria? I do feel like poor kids, at all grade levels, are tested to death. I often wondered if it had to do more with a lack of *whatever* in the teachers in most systems? (Sorry, but I did teach with some crummy ones -- some with 'agendas' that had absolutely nothing to do with a philosophy of teaching or working with kids.)
There is a cry for major education reform in this country, but I don't think the increased emphasis on testing is going to fix the problems in our schools. A good start, for me, would be with revamping the curricula and truly asking ourselves, as educators, "just why is knowing *something* so critical?"
I have also been surprised by the numbers of parents who no longer seem to value their children's receiving an education. What is that all about? Granted, I have never professed to believing a college degree is the end-all-be-all, but it speaks volumes to me, when a child cannot complete a HS education. My husband, who interviews and hires folks, has a real prejudice against someone who hasn't graduated from HS, or pursued a GED in the event he/she just couldn't see through the BS in a HS.
What's the problem? How much education does one need to be a wealthy pop music star, the league's most valuable running back, or being able to score 30 points per game?
What's the problem? How much education does one need to be a wealthy pop music star, the league's most valuable running back, or being able to score 30 points per game?
Hey, more power to them if they can be those things! I would never fault a talented athlete who wants to pursue it professionally. It does not mean he can not have a great education to go with it, of course it does not always happen but there are plenty of very well-educated athletes and stars.
This is highly misleading and sad that they've put it out like this....and that people are taking it as fact.
From their own report...
"To calculate graduation rates, the report estimated the likelihood that a 9th grader would complete high school on time with a regular diploma. Researchers used school enrollment and diploma data, but did not use data on dropouts as part of its calculation."
In other words they are not counting actual drop outs, but estimating from a 9th grade standpoint. We all know all kinds of things change in 4 years! It doesn't consider those who got GEDs or those who graduate in the summer after the senior year. It probably doesn't consider those who graduate early either, though I couldn't discern that from the story.
When reading stories such as this remember that all numbers can be manipulated to support what they want it to, and doesn't cover the entire story!
This is highly misleading and sad that they've put it out like this....and that people are taking it as fact.
From their own report...
"To calculate graduation rates, the report estimated the likelihood that a 9th grader would complete high school on time with a regular diploma. Researchers used school enrollment and diploma data, but did not use data on dropouts as part of its calculation."
In other words they are not counting actual drop outs, but estimating from a 9th grade standpoint. We all know all kinds of things change in 4 years! It doesn't consider those who got GEDs or those who graduate in the summer after the senior year. It probably doesn't consider those who graduate early either, though I couldn't discern that from the story.
When reading stories such as this remember that all numbers can be manipulated to support what they want it to, and doesn't cover the entire story!
Well, although what you are saying is true, and in there own words as you also pointed out, NCLB has reduced graduation rates. Each year, I see students not graduating because they can not pass the tests required to do so, this in addition to those that were already not graduating for another reason.
Okay, guys. Can we please have some application of common sense here, no political finger pointing?
Over the past 25 years, after accounting for inflation, spending per child has doubled. Yes, doubled.
Yet the educational establishing continues to do a miserable job. So funding isn't the problem, now is it? I don't think any sane person could reach that conclusion.
So what's the irony here? Namely, that the institution responsible for educating our children and teaching them to think is the least creative, least productive sector in American life today.
Let's start with some basic questions:
1) We live in an age of ubiquitous knowledge. Type three words into a search engine and you'll learn almost anything. A software company can make almost any subject easy and fun to learn. Yet, why do schools continue to operate along the lines of 18-Century textile mills?
2) Why do all kids, the dumb and the stupid and the motivated and lazy, all slog through the curriculum at basically the same pace? Oh, sure, there are AP classes. But there's simply no incentive for a bright and driven child to move through school at an accelerated pace.
3) Hey, are we all accountants, lawyers, and engineers? So why are all students treated as if they're going to college? Why aren't kids who don't want to attend college put in curriculums that they find relevant to their future career? Last time I checked, plumbers and electricians earned good pay.
4) Emphasize education, not socialization. Every time a social problem manifests itself, whether its racism or global warming or bullying, the politicians want the schools to act as the bully pulpit. And, of course, school superintendents don't stand on their desks and scream about the increased classroom load. Why? Because to do so would be to turn down more funding.
5) Get the parents involved. I don't care how good the teachers are. I don't care how well they're paid. If you have a parent at home who doesn't go over homework, doesn't meet the teacher, makes excuses for poor performance and misbehavior, allows the child to come home and camp out in front of the XBox, etc. etc., then nothing else matters. Yet, especially in the inner city, there seems to be a client mentality between parents and schools, rather than seeing it as a collaborative effort.
Okay, guys. Can we please have some application of common sense here, no political finger pointing?
Over the past 25 years, after accounting for inflation, spending per child has doubled. Yes, doubled.
Yet the educational establishing continues to do a miserable job. So funding isn't the problem, now is it? I don't think any sane person could reach that conclusion.
So what's the irony here? Namely, that the institution responsible for educating our children and teaching them to think is the least creative, least productive sector in American life today.
Let's start with some basic questions:
1) We live in an age of ubiquitous knowledge. Type three words into a search engine and you'll learn almost anything. A software company can make almost any subject easy and fun to learn. Yet, why do schools continue to operate along the lines of 18-Century textile mills?
2) Why do all kids, the dumb and the stupid and the motivated and lazy, all slog through the curriculum at basically the same pace? Oh, sure, there are AP classes. But there's simply no incentive for a bright and driven child to move through school at an accelerated pace.
3) Hey, are we all accountants, lawyers, and engineers? So why are all students treated as if they're going to college? Why aren't kids who don't want to attend college put in curriculums that they find relevant to their future career? Last time I checked, plumbers and electricians earned good pay.
4) Emphasize education, not socialization. Every time a social problem manifests itself, whether its racism or global warming or bullying, the politicians want the schools to act as the bully pulpit. And, of course, school superintendents don't stand on their desks and scream about the increased classroom load. Why? Because to do so would be to turn down more funding.
5) Get the parents involved. I don't care how good the teachers are. I don't care how well they're paid. If you have a parent at home who doesn't go over homework, doesn't meet the teacher, makes excuses for poor performance and misbehavior, allows the child to come home and camp out in front of the XBox, etc. etc., then nothing else matters. Yet, especially in the inner city, there seems to be a client mentality between parents and schools, rather than seeing it as a collaborative effort.
These are excellent points. I would put #5 at the top.
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