Make TBO Your Home Page| Subscribe To The Paper| Advertise With Us| Contact Us| Login| Edit Profile| Register
Highlands Today
Email
Print
Highlands Graduation Rate Drops
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: November 20, 2008
SEBRING - While the statewide graduation rate improved significantly in 2007-08 compared to the previous year, Highlands County's public school graduation rate dropped.
Gov. Charlie Crist announced Wednesday that Florida's graduation rate reached its highest point last year at 75.4 percent, according to data released by the Florida Department of Education (FDOE). This rate exceeds the previous year's rate by 3 percentage points and represents an overall improvement of 15.2 percentage points since the 1998-99 school year.
The Highlands County graduation rate for 2007-08 was 71.2 percent, which is 1.8 percentage points lower than the 2006-07 rate of 73 percent.
Florida's annual high school dropout rate dropped to its lowest point this year at 2.6 percent. This rate is a decrease of 0.7 percentage points compared to last year's rate and a decrease of 2.8 points since 1998-99.
Highlands County's dropout rate also dropped 1.2 percentage points, from 5.4 percent in 2006-07 to 4.2 percent in 2007-08, but remained above the state dropout rate.
The FDOE reports that increased minority achievement was the leading force behind the decline in the dropout rate
From 2006-07 to 2007-08, the dropout rate decreased for blacks, Hispanic, American-Indian and multiracial students, with black students showing the most significant improvements in dropout reduction.
The FDOE bases its graduation rate on data that follows every single student from ninth grade to graduation, a method that more accurately calculates the number of students who graduate high school.
Florida currently stands alone nationally in its practice of compiling and following individual student records to determine a true, four-year graduation rate, according to the FDOE.
In October, the United States Department of Education announced that all states must adopt a uniform graduation rate calculation by the year 2010-11. Consequently, the FDOE is reviewing its graduation rate to determine what changes are needed to meet the new federal requirement.
Marc Valero can be reached at 386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com
Email
Print
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertisement
TBO.com - Tampa Bay Online ©2009 Media General Communications Holdings, LLC. A Media General company. Member Agreement | Privacy Statement | Work With Us
