Dropout Factories

[The AD]

Did your high school make the list? Mine did! "Dropout factories" are high schools where less than 60% of incoming freshmen make it to their senior year.

Here's a link with a map that shows the schools in each state:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/s...O&SECTION=HOME

My high school (Sexton HS in Lansing, MI) ticked in with a retention rate of 49%. I have no idea if it was that bad when I was there 20 years ago. I noticed there are several high schools in Detroit with retention rates in the 20-30% range and very close to 100% minority students.

Florida and South Carolina both have the honor of having more than half of their schools meeting the dropout factory requirements. Pretty grim stuff!

[Gripen]

The only ones in my state (MT) to get the dubious distinction of dropout factories are on reservations.

Very sad.

[bklyn]

I remember how notorious some of the NYC public schools were in the 70's and 80's but this is ridiculous. I know why my family insisted on private education and I understand why most of my friends are not sending their kids to public schools now.

I feel bad because public schools do not attract the best teachers. I'm certainly not attracted to working all winter.

All of these young adults without even a high school education? Where will they find work?

[Tuckerman]

There are no drop outs in UT? For some reason Maine and Vermont don't make sense to me when compared to each other. If Maine is .95% and Vermont is 1.96% how is Vermont ranked better?

[schuss]

There are no drop outs in UT? For some reason Maine and Vermont don't make sense to me when compared to each other. If Maine is .95% and Vermont is 1.96% how is Vermont ranked better?

Lower is better. IE - they're 48th of 50 in terms of "Most dropout factories"

[Stone-Free]

I'm not shocked at my high school having a 42% retention rate. Its feeder schools are in some of the lowest income areas in the city.

The enrollment there has dropped off significantly too (4A to 3A next year) because the sports programs are really bad compared to other schools in the city.

[RedWolf]

My high school (Sexton HS in Lansing, MI) ticked in with a retention rate of 49%.

Holy CRAP! I thought Lansing's schools were getting better! Nearly ALL of their high schools are on the list, but NONE of the surrounding towns...

[Tuckerman]

Lower is better. IE - they're 48th of 50 in terms of "Most dropout factories"

Right I'm a idiot.

[pappag]

Wildwood is a bit of surprise in NJ ... the others on the list, not so much.

[danimal's dead]

In all these articles I've read nobody ever talks about the GED factor. If you're sixteen years old, you know you're not going to college, and your parents are broke ass pieces of chit who can't support you or buy you a car or those new Jordans you've been wanting, why not drop out get a job with a landscaping or construction company or the local carwash and get your GED. If they're wasn't the GED alternative I don't think the drop out rate would be nearly as high.

"GED was good enough for me" Notorious BIG

[The AD]

Of course these stats don't tell us anything about the quality of the education the kids get who actually do stay and graduate. That's about the only positive spin you can put on this. If you were a teacher or administrator at a school like this who would you spend the most time on? The kids who obviously don't want to be there, and probably won't be soon, or the ones who actually do want to graduate?

[crstlextrm]

Im surprised my school didnt make it, I know we only graduated about 50% in 2003. Two other schools in my district made it though.

[iceman]

A bunch of the NYC schools are magnet/special program schools - a lot of kids probably transfer out to regular high schools because they find the workload too hard or they decide they don't like the program.

[ICEHOCEY77]

My school didn't make the list. But seriously the public schools down here are totally fucked.

[bklyn]

In all these articles I've read nobody ever talks about the GED factor. If you're sixteen years old, you know you're not going to college, and your parents are broke ass pieces of chit who can't support you or buy you a car or those new Jordans you've been wanting, why not drop out get a job with a landscaping or construction company or the local carwash and get your GED. If they're wasn't the GED alternative I don't think the drop out rate would be nearly as high.

"GED was good enough for me" Notorious BIG

Let me know where in this country a 16 year old high school dropout can get a (100% legal) job and move away from home. Biggie was selling drugs. There are adults competing for jobs in construction and landscaping and they complain that they're being pushed out by immigrants (legal and otherwise).

I'd like to know the percentage of those who were kicked out vs dropped out.

Of course these stats don't tell us anything about the quality of the education the kids get who actually do stay and graduate. That's about the only positive spin you can put on this. If you were a teacher or administrator at a school like this who would you spend the most time on? The kids who obviously don't want to be there, and probably won't be soon, or the ones who actually do want to graduate?

I see your point, but there should be someone to reach out to these kids. I really don't see how ignoring them, letting them drop out, or kicking them out will lead to productive members of our society. The change in education has to begin much earlier than high school. How can you get there without strong reading and math skills? When you talk to the HS teachers they'll tell you some of these kids arrive without a core competency in these basic areas.

[lemon boy]

Let me know where in this country a 16 year old high school dropout can get a (100% legal) job and move away from home. Biggie was selling drugs. There are adults competing for jobs in construction and landscaping and they complain that they're being pushed out by immigrants (legal and otherwise).

You can do that here. Easily.

[Tippster]

Holy Shit. roosevelt HS in NYC has a 9% retention rate. 90% drop out. Unbelievable.

[bagtagley]

You can do that here. Easily.

Ditto that in WV, though I can't really speak for Utah.

I got a summer road construction job as a teenager that paid more than some of my post-grad school jobs. Good benefits too.

[The AD]

I see your point, but there should be someone to reach out to these kids.

I agree, but I'm sure it's a very difficult task.

[iggyskier]

I am pretty sure every single public high school in Tacoma made the list...

[iceman]

I am pretty sure every single public high school in Tacoma made the list...

Nope, only 5 out of 7.

[SKISC]

Mine made it. 55% retention and 45% free lunches. Of course given that I live in SC I kind of expected to see it there. I really find it hard to believe that many drop out over a 4 year (it was 3 years when I was there) period. It does say that some transfered out but that is still alot of people dropping out.

I would not want to be trying to find a job right now at 16 after dropping out. Hell I had too much fun in high school to drop out.

[Cliff Huckable]

1700
schools
across the nation
qualify as
"drop-out factories"???!!!!!

That's fucking shameful. I'm starting to understand why the US always does so poorly in those international comparisons.

I'm not shocked at my high school having a 42% retention rate. Its feeder schools are in some of the lowest income areas in the city.

The enrollment there has dropped off significantly too (4A to 3A next year) because the sports programs are really bad compared to other schools in the city.

Sports programs?? Nice fucking priorities. I'm sure that's part of the problem right there.

[irul&ublo]

Holy Shit. roosevelt HS in NYC has a 9% retention rate. 90% drop out. Unbelievable.

Guess the senior prom is a small affair.

[RockyTheBlackDog]

You have to be careful with your studies and statistics. For instance, I just looked at the Maryland (where I teach) list and found Meade High School and Great Mills High School. Now, Meade High School serves Fort George Mead and Great Mills High School serves Patuxent Naval Air Station. I'd be willing to bet that a lot of those kids didn't drop out. Their military parents got transferred. It says, "While some transferred, most dropped out, according to the researchers." but without looking at the actual design of the study, you can't tell how they know that. Since the study was done for the AP by Johns Hopkins using Dept of Ed. data its a pretty sure bet that the researches just made it up. Thats how lots of studies in Education are done. Pretty scientific, eh? I can tell you that if you walk into most high schools and ask the administration how many kids transferred vs how many dropped out, they won't be able to tell you. Its just not something they keep track of. So where'd that data come from? Basically, you should assume that any research involving education is bullshit, cooked up for political purposes until you find some reason to think otherwise.

1700
schools
across the nation
qualify as
"drop-out factories"???!!!!!

That's fucking shameful. I'm starting to understand why the US always does so poorly in those international comparisons.



Sports programs?? Nice fucking priorities. I'm sure that's part of the problem right there.