The Owl Newsletter

ISSUE 34 | MAY 1, 2001

CANDOR TAKES COURAGE WHEN GRADUATION RATES ARE UP FOR DISCUSSION

The "stealth" press release of graduation rate results recently by Supt. Of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin passed largely unnoticed in California newspapers. Dwarfed by the energy crisis, the story received attention from only one astute observer, Dan Walters of the Sacramento Bee.

After noting that the traditional drop-out rate was 11 percent, Mr. Walters pointed to a far more important factor: graduation rates of 68.7 percent.

"In a virtual replay of other recent reports on the subject, the department revealed that just 68.7 percent of students who entered the ninth grade in 1996 received high school diplomas in 2000. É no one in educational circles bothers to defend it [drop-out rates] anymore. Educators inside and outside the state department acknowledge that the graduation rate is a much more accurate picture of reality -- and even it may understate the true problem. If such factors as pre-ninth grade dropouts and California's overall population growth were included in the equation, the true graduation rate may be closer to 60 percent."

Read the full article.

By the way, Mr. Walters acknowledges the inherent limits in the data: no clear measure of mobility, no student identifier system to track migration to other districts, no allowance for the impact of natural growth or shrinkage in the school-bound population.

The Owl believes that Mr. Walters is onto something. The public expects a clear indicator of how each high school is doing. But the education experts can only offer a "happy face" evasion with drop-out statistics.

Where are the grad rate calculations for each high school? They are nowhere to be seen. The CDE has only calculated the graduation rate at the summary, statewide level. This leaves the public knowing that grad rates can, indeed, be calculated, but at the same time insulted because they are not going to be shown the results school by school.

This Owl believes this to be asking for trouble. Candor takes courage. And it is courage you'll need to follow this advice: publish each of your high schools' graduation rates. Then face the music and dance with your public.

Some big city high schools will show graduation rates around 50 percent. That is, half the freshman class of 1996 will have graduated four years later. This is common in extra-stressed districts like Oakland USD and Los Angeles USD. Then prepare for a clear-headed discussion of the meaning of these numbers. This should include reexamining many old and tired assumptions. One expert, Jay Mathews of the Washington Post, wrote about drop-outs in January, and asked a fair question: "Is dropping out of school really so bad?"

When your students vote with their feet in large numbers, they may be following the path of enlightened self-interest (i.e., taking a much needed job that brings money home). They may be fleeing bad teaching. Or they may just be taking the path of least resistance, and avoiding the hard work that learning entails.

To make matters more complicated, your students may soon be fleeing the exit exam. See a collection of intelligent articles on this subject.

Whatever your community's concerns, and whatever your public's questions, you can only hope to inspire real dialogue when you put real facts on the table.

The Owl welcomes your comments, as always.

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