Rick Patrick: Greene Publishing, Inc.
This is the third in a series of weekly articles about the challenges facing our school district, and the measures proposed to meet those challenges.
One factor that many consider when attempting to evaluate schools in their area is the high school graduation rate. The State of Florida also considers this measure as part of the overall grade for a school. While this number can be informative in terms of a school's overall performance, it is only one piece of a larger puzzle.
According to the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), the high school graduation rate is a “cohort” rate. The FDOE defines a cohort as a “group of students on the same schedule to graduate.” The graduation rate measures the percentage of students who graduate within four years of their first enrollment in the ninth grade. For the 2015-16 school year, the graduation rate for Madison County students was 80.1 percent. Statewide, the graduation rate for the 2015-16 school year was 80.7 percent. That is not to say that in Madison County the dropout rate was 19.9 percent for that school year. Students receiving special diplomas, a GED (Graduate Equivalency Diploma), certificates of completion, and those still enrolled are not counted in the graduation rate. For example, in the 2014-15 school year, the statewide graduation rate was 77.9 percent (or 155,714 students). The total not graduating was 18.1 percent (36,095 students). That same year 4.1 percent of students dropped out (8,179).
The school drop-out rate can also be a little misleading. While the graduation rate is a four year rate, the drop-out rate is calculated on a year by year basis. The dropout rate is a total of students who drop out (leave school without transferring to another district, home school, or adult learning program) in a given year. In Madison County, the single year dropout rate was 0.92 percent for the 2014-15 school year. The single year dropout rate for the State was 1.78 percent for that same year. When applying the same four year “cohort” criterium to the dropout rate as to the graduation rate, the dropout rate for Madison County rises to 3.03 percent for the 2014-15 school year. That was still below the statewide figure of 4.1 percent for that year.
Even though the graduation rates are just one piece of the puzzle for a school's success, it is a piece to which Ben Killngsworth, Principal at Madison County High School (MCHS), pays close attention. “We want every kid to graduate,” said Killingsworth. That means maintaining a minimum 2.0 grade-point average; receiving at least 24 credits in basic classes such as math, science, etc.; and passing state standardized tests. In order to achieve this, Killingsworth says they watch and monitor students' progress and set up classes in order to address shortcomings when they arise.
In addition to the traditional “college prep” degree program available to students, there are additional options for students who may not be planning to go to college. These include Career and Technical (C.T.) programs that prepare students to enter a wide variety of well-paying professions right out of high school. In many cases this C.T. Training can also be carried into further educational endeavors. This C.T. Training is another way to try and keep students engaged and on track to graduate.
Insuring that students finish high school in a timely manner is but one important piece of an overall educational puzzle. Helping to find and apply that piece of the puzzle is a constant challenge that will continue to take creative, and sometimes innovative, ways to accomplish.