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County dropout rate goes up as state’s drops
By Derek Hodges
A report recently released by the State Board of Education shows a jump in Jackson County dropout rates for the third year in a row, even as the state rate is declining.
The Annual Dropout Event Report calculates the number of students dropping out of the state’s high schools. Those statistics are compiled from data submitted by local school districts.
According to the report, Jackson County’s dropout rate for grades 9-12 increased between the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years, going from 6.04 to 7.51.
That 1.47 percent increase represents about 20 students the report showed. The total number of 7.51 percent means 90 students left local schools. That’s equivalent to one in every 13 of the county’s nearly 1,200 high school students dropping out.
While the county’s rate was increasing, the state rate decreased, as did the rate of every other county surrounding Jackson.
Among counties surrounding Jackson:
• Swain County’s rate went from 8.96 to 6.96.
• Macon County saw a decrease from 6.41 to 5.98.
• Haywood County’s rate dropped from 7.48 to 7.09.
• Transylvania County’s rate went from 5.69 to 4.31.
The statewide rate went from 4.86 percent in 2003-04 to 4.74 percent in 2004-05, a number that represents about one in every 20 students in the state.
Superintendent Sue Nations cited some factors that may play a part in Jackson County’s dropout rate. Several of her explanations were supported by state officials who saw the same problems in school systems statewide.
Among the most difficult obstacles to keeping students in school is the age at which students are allowed to quit school, Nations said. Nations said she supports a nationwide movement to increase that age requirement from 16 to 18.
State education leaders have also voiced their support for the increase.
“We do students a disservice to send the message that it is acceptable to drop out of school when they are 16 years old,” State Board of Education Chairman Howard Lee said in a press release. “A high school diploma is a minimum requirement for future success, and we will continue to press for changing the compulsory school attendance age.”
Another possible reason for the increase is the difficult transition between eighth- and ninth-grades, Nations said.
“We’re working on ways to ease that transition and make children feel like they’re part of the learning experience,” Nations said.
Statewide one-third of dropouts left during the ninth grade.
“Many students need special support to help them successfully transition from middle grades to high school,” State Superintendent June Atkinson said in the press release. “As the numbers show, ninth grade is a vulnerable year for many young people.”
Some students choose to trade high school courses for those at a community college, Nations said. While that adds to the number of dropouts, Nations said she supports students who actually hold to the plan to attend an institution of higher education.
“Some of our students think their best option is to get their GED and then an associate’s degree,” Nations said. “If that’s the route they choose to take, then I truly hope they achieve that.”
Statewide, 10 percent of the students leaving high school did so to attend a community college.
While school officials are always working to lower the dropout rate, there are some programs that have shown promising results in cutting that number.
One such program gets students involved with community members at their jobs.
However, work to cut the discouraging number does not begin at the high school level, Nations said. Educators at all grade levels are charged with getting students interested in learning.
“If you can get kids excited about education early enough, that should have a positive impact,” she said.
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