High School Graduate? You’re More Accomplished Than You Think!
Most people assume that with our free public education system in the United States, nearly everyone has their high school diploma. NOT TRUE! Take a look at this map. You’ll see that even states that boast the highest grad rates in the country top out at 86%. FOURTEEN states have graduation rates between 50 and 67%. Overall (as of 2006), the country’s graduation rate was still under 70%. That means that three of every ten people are still not getting their high school diploma, and in some areas, nearly half of the population doesn’t graduate.
The figures should give us all pause. What is going wrong in our system that so many teens are dropping out? There are a few factors to consider.
Some states (such as my own Michigan) mask these numbers by the way schools are required to report graduation rates. Instead of looking at students who complete all twelve years of schooling, local districts are allowed to report only the students who start and then finish their senior year. One local district boasts a 94% graduation rate, for example. On closer examination, this year’s graduating class had 146 members on the first day of school during their freshman year. They graduated 102. That’s a whole lot closer to 70% than 95% in my mind. And yet the school’s statistics look stellar. Neighboring Indiana recently changed their reporting requirements, and the public was appalled to discover that graduation rates at some South Bend high schools were actually 50% or even lower.
Another problem is the course of study now being required for high school in many areas. In a misguided effort to boost educational achievement, Michigan now requires a very challenging curriculum for graduation. For example, all students are now required to pass algebra II. Two things are happening. More children are giving up in despair and dropping out, and students who do try the course are finding that the curriculum is being watered down to accommodate the slowest students. Those who truly need to learn algebra II are being shortchanged, and those who don’t are being frustrated. Our school doesn’t even OFFER any sort of basic, life skills math.
Finally, for many students, basic skills just are not where they should be. Considering the need for solid education, it’s criminal that children are being passed from grade to grade without knowing basic skills. I work as a tutor, and have seen first hand the high schoolers who cannot add 6 + 7 without a calculator and cannot write a coherent paragraph. There are many reasons for this, and I don’t have too many answers, but it’s definitely part of the problem. Suffice it to say that these students are not getting the help they need when they need it.
So if you have graduated, be thankful! You’ve accomplished quite a bit already. If you are considering dropping out, STAY IN SCHOOL! And if you did not graduate, remember that there is help available. It’s not too late, and you can make yourself more employable by heading over to your local adult education program and starting work on your GED. If you need private and confidential help online, you can also get it through the Job Training Readiness Center by visiting the Check Up and the Skills areas.