School-to-Career Blog 020708

The views expressed here are Chris' and are not necessarily the same as the Wake County Public School System.

State Dropout Rate Increases In 2006-07; Efforts Underway To Address At-Risk Students' Needs

link to the news article: Public Schools of North Carolina, February 7, 2008.

Article Highlights

A total of 23,550 students - or 5.24 percent of the students in grades nine through 12 - dropped out of school in the 2006-07 school year, according to the "Annual Dropout Event Report for School Year 2006-07" today presented to the State Board of Education. The dropout rate in 2005-06 was 5.04 percent or 22,180 students.

State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee said he was deeply concerned about the number of students dropping out of school. "Students drop out of school for many reasons, including excessive absences, family concerns, academic problems or the belief that they can finish a high school credential more quickly through a GED program, but North Carolinians need to make sure these young people realize how tough it can be for them once they bypass their high school diploma. High school graduation today is a bare minimum for economic survival, and we need to support all students so that they graduate from high school."

In 2006-07, 51 percent of the dropout events listed attendance issues as the reason for the student's decision to drop out.

Chris' thoughts -

Our kids need to understand that a high school diploma is crucial to securing a good job in today's market.

Our kids need to know that earning a GED, which means that someone has passed the General Educational Development series of tests, is not the equivalent to actually participating in, and graduating from, high school. If this were true, we'd close all of our high schools and just publish GED test taking strategies. The high school experience is more than a battery of tests.

Fortunately, NCDPI (NC Department of Public Education) requires students to give a reason as to why they are dropping out of high school. Over half of the dropouts cite attendance as the reason they dropped out. Unfortunately, NCDPI does not go one step further and ask why they missed so many days. If they had, I'm sure many would say that school had no meaning for them.

When I was a teacher, many of my students would say that the only reason they came to school was for my class. It's not because my classes were easier than their others, it was because the learning was different, and the learning had immediate real-world connections.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes are the kind that keep kids in school. Most are hands-on learning with lots of real-world application. These aren't the vocational education or industrial arts courses that the older generations are envisioning, today's CTE courses are about engineering, biotechnology, robotics, medical technology, entertainment marketing, alternative fuels, and so much more.

Unfortunately, President Bush has decided for the fourth year in a row that the federal government no longer needs to fund Career and Technical Education programs. The estimated cut to North Carolina in particular is over $38 million.

You think 5.24 percent is a high drop out rate? What if the classes that keep many of our youth in school were eliminated? The kid who came to school only because of his automotive technology class might not have any incentive to continue coming to school if that class were eliminated.

All kids in North Carolina need to graduate from high school, and they need some kind of postsecondary education/career plan in their pocket when they do. I believe that eliminating Career and Technical Education from our schools will only serve to increase the dropout rate at a time when we have all decided that it needs to decrease.

Everyone who cares about this next generation succeeding needs to contact their representatives in Washington DC and let them know that funding the Perkins legislation is critical to the future success of our country's workforce. Our president has decided to use that money for other things, but congress can override him if we let them know our wishes.

We cannot afford to have the drop out rate get any worse, and we cannot ignore the fact that high school CTE programs, besides keeping kids in school, are preparing the next generation of employees for the business community. Not funding Perkins legislation could lead to a dramatic decrease in our economy and lead to massive unemployment.

Link to the Perkins Legislation information from the Association for Career and Technical Education.

 

Well, at least that's what I'm thinking!
Chris Droessler

Chris writes for the following Blogs:

 

 

 

                                                                                               

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