WCPSS Rates are Lower Than State Averages for Crime, Suspensions, Dropouts
March 5, 2009 - The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released a report today covering dropout, suspension, and expulsion data for the 2007-08 school year. Findings related to WCPSS include:Crime & Violence Rate
- The rate of Reportable Acts of Crime and Violence, which is based on 17 specific acts defined by State Board of Education Policy, was 14.55 acts per 1,000 students in WCPSS in 2007-08. This compares favorably to a statewide rate of 15.57.
- The WCPSS rate of 14.55 was also lower than other large school districts in North Carolina in 2007-08, including Durham (22.73), Guilford (17.80), Charlotte-Mecklenburg (15.98), and Forsyth (21.69). NOTE: This rate is based on students in grades 9-12.
Suspensions and Expulsions
- The statewide rate of short-term suspensions (i.e., suspensions of 10 days or less in duration) was 34.56 per 100 students in 2007-08. The WCPSS rate in 2007-08 was slightly lower, at 30.4 per 100 students. NOTE: This rate is based on students in grades 9-12.
- Among other large NC districts, Durham (37.2), Forsyth (57.0) and Charlotte-Meckelenburg (36.9) had grades 9-12 short-term suspension rates higher than WCPSS in 2007-08, while the rate for Guilford (28.5) was slightly lower.
- The total number of short-term suspensions across all grades in WCPSS increased by approximately 6%, from 21,421 in 2006-07 to 22,707 in 2007-08. Long-term suspensions in WCPSS increased by 4.5%, from 1,055 in 2006-07 to 1,103 in 2007-08. WCPSS reported only one expulsion in 2007-08, compared to eight in 2006-07.
Dropout Rate
- Stopping a four-year increase, the WCPSS dropout rate for grades 9-12 was 4.17% in 2007-08, down slightly from 4.24% in 2006-07. The actual number of dropouts increased by 42, but because the number of students in membership increased proportionately more, the rate declined. The state’s rate also showed a decrease-- from 5.24% to 4.97%.
- Other large school districts in North Carolina, Durham (4.19), Forsyth (5.49), and Mecklenburg (5.91), had higher dropout rates in 2007-08 than did WCPSS, while Guilford (3.31) remained lower. Of those districts, only WCPSS and Guilford have had a rate below the state average in each of the past ten years.
Number of Grades 9-12 Acts and Rates
LEA |
ADM, Grades 9-12 |
Reportable Acts |
Reportable Act Rate (per 1,000) |
Wake |
37,121 |
540 |
14.55 |
Mecklenburg |
35,784 |
572 |
15.98 |
Guilford |
21,568 |
384 |
17.80 |
Cumberland |
15,808 |
232 |
14.68 |
Forsyth |
14,937 |
324 |
21.69 |
Durham |
9,502 |
216 |
22.73 |
State Average |
|
|
15.57 |
Grades K-12 Suspensions and Expulsion
LEA |
Short term suspensions |
Long-term suspensions |
expulsions |
Wake |
22,707 |
1,103 |
1 |
Mecklenburg |
33,536 |
1,063 |
15 |
Guilford |
12,016 |
100 |
1 |
Cumberland |
12,162 |
122 |
1 |
Forsyth |
15,478 |
66 |
40 |
Durham |
6,809 |
85 |
0 |
Grades 9-12 Short term suspensions and suspension rates
LEA |
Short term suspensions |
short-term suspension rate (per 100 students) |
Wake |
11,294 |
30.4 |
Mecklenburg |
13,206 |
36.9 |
Guilford |
6,139 |
28.5 |
Cumberland |
5,388 |
34.1 |
Forsyth |
8,513 |
57.0 |
Durham |
3,532 |
37.2 |
State Average |
|
34.56 |
Dropout counts and rates, 2006-07 and 2007-08
LEA |
06-07 count |
07-08 count |
% change |
06-07 rate |
07-08 rate |
Wake |
1,647 |
1,689 |
2.55 |
4.21 |
4.17 |
Mecklenburg |
2,512 |
2,355 |
-6.25 |
6.39 |
5.91 |
Guilford |
680 |
760 |
11.76 |
2.99 |
3.31 |
Cumberland |
610 |
615 |
0.82 |
3.56 |
3.61 |
Forsyth |
1,062 |
898 |
-15.44 |
6.43 |
5.49 |
Durham |
508 |
439 |
-13.58 |
4.90 |
4.19 |
State |
23,550 |
22,434 |
-4.74 |
5.24 |
4.97 |
Grade 9-12 drop out counts and rates 2003-04 through 2007-08
LEA |
2003-04 |
2004-05 |
2005-06 |
2006-07 |
2007-08 |
|||||
|
Number |
Rate |
Number |
Rate |
Number |
Rate |
Number |
Rate |
Number |
Rate |
Wake |
1,130 |
3.34 |
1,274 |
3.66 |
1,437 |
3.88 |
1,647 |
4.21 |
1,689 |
4.17 |
Mecklenburg |
1,528 |
4.48 |
1,108 |
3.14 |
1,724 |
4.61 |
2,512 |
6.39 |
2,355 |
5.91 |
Guilford |
639 |
3.09 |
644 |
2.98 |
766 |
3.41 |
680 |
2.99 |
760 |
3.31 |
Cumberland |
619 |
3.72 |
556 |
3.33 |
618 |
3.64 |
610 |
3.56 |
615 |
3.61 |
Forsyth |
756 |
5.18 |
760 |
5.00 |
919 |
5.74 |
1,062 |
6.43 |
898 |
5.49 |
Durham |
572 |
5.93 |
566 |
5.71 |
520 |
5.15 |
508 |
4.90 |
439 |
4.19 |
State |
20,035 |
4.86 |
20,175 |
4.74 |
22,180 |
5.04 |
23,550 |
5.24 |
22,434 |
4.97 |