Is the school board being realistic by contemplating a new goal of having 100 percent of students graduate from high school?
The school board had been looking at a goal of having a graduation rate of 90 percent by 2013 and 95 percent by 2015. It's currently 78.8 percent.
But board members moved away from the idea of a 95 percent goal to a 100 percent one at last week's work session.
Board members said they're concerned that having a goal of under 100 percent would give the impression they're giving up on some groups of students graduating.
Either way, it's going to be hard to get above 90 percent.
Wake is in better shape with some groups. The four-year graduation rate is at 91.8 percent for Asian students and 87.8 percent for white students.
But it drops off sharply to 64.6 percent for black students and 52.2 percent for Hispanic students.
The school board will resume discussion of the new goal at a work session running from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday. The location hasn't been set yet.
Comments
No, No, No.....
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 12:58 — WuptdoThey know the goal is unattainable. They are using this to justify future expenses and budget increases. It is a Public Relations gimmick, plain & simple.
Picture this: Rosa Gill standing in from the new "sheep" at the WCC at ahearing. "In order for our children to graduate at 100% by 2018, we are going to need an additional $60 million dollars next year, with an additional 20% increase in our budget every year for the next ten years." Also we will need to re-double our busing for "diversity" effort to ensure that no child outside of Raleigh are attending their closest school.
New Sheep at WCC: Baa-Tax Increases-yeah-Baa-Baa
Goal is unrealistic...
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 09:36 — midtownmomUnless we change the graduation requirements for some of the students'. We need to add a technical degree where there's less emphasis on academics, and much more on real life professions such as plumbing, electrical, nursing, culinary... If we offered a degree where kids could graduate prepared to move on to a real job we would have a more productive society and kids who would stay in school.
I couldn't Agree More
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 09:42 — Voice_of_Reason_Not all children are college material or desire to go there. This county would be well served to improve their VoTech opportunities.
U.S. Urban Students Middling vs. Foreign Peers
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 08:16 — AngelaW(guess what "URBAN district ISN'T uh..listed )
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2008/10/22/10math.h28.html?tmp=519353044
Six of the 11 U.S. city school systems evaluated performed at or above the average for developed nations in 4th grade mathematics, according to the study. Yet only two of the 11 districts—Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C., and Austin, Texas—reached the 8th grade international average for developed nations.
In addition to Charlotte-Mecklenburg and Austin, other districts in the study are Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, the District of Columbia, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and San Diego.
U.S. urban students fared relatively well when compared against both industrialized and developing nations that took part in TIMSS, Mr. Phillips noted in an interview. But when compared with students just in industrialized countries—those with economic conditions similar to those of the United States—American students’ showing was not as strong, a finding that should trouble policymakers, Mr. Phillips said.
In a separate measure of the entire U.S. student population, 4th graders were more successful against developed nations in math, topping the international average, the study found. But U.S. 8th graders did not do as well, performing at roughly the same level as the average for industrialized nations.
I agree with the goal but
Thu, 11/13/2008 - 07:02 — vsheehanI agree with the goal but not how Wake plans to get there.