Education Briefings for Candidates for Office The Dropout Issue www.ncforum.org

TWO WAYS TO MEASURE SCHOOL COMPLETION: The dropout rate shows how many leave school before graduation. The 4-year graduation rate indicates how many graduated on time. NC US Dropout rate 5.2% 9.3% 4-year graduation rate 68% 75% NC data from DPI, “2006-07 Annual Report on Dropout Events and Rates” (http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/dropout/reports/); US data from U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. (2007). The Condition of Education 2007

Dropout Rates Rising Slightly Data from DPI, “2006-07 Annual Report on Dropout Events and Rates” (http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/dropout/reports/)

Graduation rates differ by race, both in NC and nationwide. 68.0% 51.1% 76.8% 53.2% 50.2% 61.0% 63.5% 33.8% 68.3% 58.4% 53.6% 61.1% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% All Am Indian Asian Hispanic Black White US NC Data from the Harvard Civil Rights Project, http://www.civilrightsproject.ucla.edu/research/dropouts/dropouts_gen.php Source: Harvard Civil Rights Project (2004)

NC’s Educational Pipeline For every 100 ninth grade students…. 60 complete high school 4 years later 41 of those enroll in college 29 of those return to college for their 2nd year Just 19 receive an associate’s degree within 3 years, or a bachelor’s within 6 years Data from DPI, “2006-07 Annual Report on Dropout Events and Rates” (http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/dropout/reports/)

Solutions to the Dropout Problem High School Reform Dropout Prevention grants NC Virtual Public Schools Learn & Earn Online 9th grade academies Other strategies Raise compulsory attendance age? Early interventions? Better counseling? Afterschool programs?

John Dornan jdornan@ncforum.org 919-781-6833 www.ncforum.org