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Highlands Today

Florida Schools' Dropout Rates Alarming

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Highlands Today Staff

Published: November 5, 2007

The Highlands County School District should be thankful that none of its schools have ended up on a dubious federal list of "drop out factories," schools where no more than 60 percent of the students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year.

But that's no cause to celebrate. Even though the dropout rate at Highlands' schools is nowhere as bad as the 150 state schools gracing the list, a greater percentage of students are dropping out of high school in Highlands.

Sebring High School's graduation rate dropped from 78 percent in 2004-05 to 67.4 in 2005-06, according to the most recent data from the Florida Department of Education.
Lake Placid High School's graduation rate declined from 74.3 percent in 2004-05 to 69.7 percent in 2005-06.

Avon Park High School was the one school whose graduation rate improved –– from 64.8 percent in 2004-05 to 69 percent in 2005-06.
Statistics don't tell the whole story. While the student dropout percentage has gone up, so has the student population. That might explain some of the percentage increase but what perhaps explains the situation better is the fact that FCAT demands have gone up.

John Hopkins University researcher Bob Balfanz, who coined the word "drop out factory" while doing the research for the U.S. Education Department, has a theory on why the dropout rate for the state –– second highest in the country –– is so high: Large schools and a focus on test scores.

Large schools make it easy for students to be anonymous. Rigorous demands on test scores mean that some students who are not good at standardized testing might get discouraged with their performance or that schools aren't heavily penalized for low retention rates because the emphasis is on test scores.

Hopefully, Highlands school district's ninth-grade campuses will help stem some of the dropping out, seen at its highest at the ninth-grade.

The schools' attendance review committee (student's guidance counselor, social worker, dean, etc.) also looks at academics, disciplinary and family issues to determine what is affecting the student.
Another meaningful effort is to direct students who fall two years behind in their studies to a performance-based program, which includes vocational training or alternative ways of completing school or earning a diploma.

Sometimes, the odds are so stacked up against some students that nothing works. That will always be a tragedy but there's no reason why the schools shouldn't try nevertheless.
Unfortunately, schools have had to take on a more expanded role in today's world of busy parents, dysfunctional families and untold distractions for children.

It may or may not be fair for society to expect schools to have to shoulder that burden but disavowing that obligation is not an option, either.

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