Feds release new high school grad data using common yardstick; Georgia’s rate is 67 percent, putting us among bottom three.
Remember when Georgia used to say “Thank God for Mississippi and Alabama”?
With the release of new national high school graduation rates today, Georgia is now extending its thanks to Nevada and New Mexico, the only two states with lower graduation rates than Georgia.
Georgia has a 67 percent overall high school graduation rate, according to data released today by the U.S. Department of Education under a new nationwide measurement formula.
For the first time ever, the cohort method will allow apples to apples comparisons since every state is using it to calculate how many of their seniors graduate in four years.
And those apples aren’t pretty for Georgia, which is among the bottom three.
Among states, only New Mexico, 63 percent, and Nevada, 62 percent, posted lower rates. (Also below Georgia were Washington, D.C., 59 percent, and the Bureau of Indian Education, 61 percent.)
Prior to the cohort method being adopted, states used a hodgepodge of methods — and a bit of voodoo math – to calculate their grad rates, often favoring formulas that provided too glowing a picture of how many kids actually received diplomas in four years. Georgia was among them, touting a grad rate of 80 percent.
Georgia does not fare well compared to its Southern neighbors. For example, Alabama has a 72 percent grad rate, while Mississippi has a 75 percent rate and Louisiana has a 71 percent rate.
South Carolina has a 74 percent rate, and North Carolina has a 78 percent grad rate. Tennessee has an 86 percent rate, which puts it among the top performers in the country. Virginia has an 82 percent rate.
Here is a link to the list of states.
What hurts Georgia’s ranking is its acute failure to graduate students with disabilities and students with limited English. Only three out of 10 students in those two categories graduates, putting us well behind most of the nation.
If I were DOE, I would be looking for explanations for why Georgia does so poorly with these kids. Yes, they are among the most challenging students to educate, but other states are doing far better with them, so there must be strategies we ought to consider.
Here are the Georgia grad rates broken down by demographics:
Asians: 79 percent
Black students: 60 percent
Hispanic: 58 percent
Whites: 76 percent
Students with disabilities: 30 percent
Limited English: 32 percent
Economically disadvantaged: 59 percent
According to US DOE:
The U.S. Department of Education released data today detailing state four-year high school graduation rates in 2010-11 – the first year for which all states used a common, rigorous measure. The varying methods formerly used by states to report graduation rates made comparisons between states unreliable, while the new, common metric can be used by states, districts and schools to promote greater accountability and to develop strategies that will reduce dropout rates and increase graduation rates in schools nationwide.
The new, uniform rate calculation is not comparable in absolute terms to previously reported rates. Therefore, while 26 states reported lower graduation rates and 24 states reported unchanged or increased rates under the new metric, these changes should not be viewed as measures of progress but rather as a more accurate snapshot.
“By using this new measure, states will be more honest in holding schools accountable and ensuring that students succeed,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “Ultimately, these data will help states target support to ensure more students graduate on time, college and career ready.”
The transition to a common, adjusted four-year cohort graduation rate reflects states’ efforts to create greater uniformity and transparency in reporting high school graduation data, and it meets the requirements of October 2008 federal regulations. A key goal of these regulations was to develop a graduation rate that provides parents, educators and community members with better information on their school’s progress while allowing for meaningful comparisons of graduation rates across states and school districts. The new graduation rate measurement also accurately accounts for students who drop out or who do not earn a regular high school diploma.
In 2011, states began individually reporting 2010-11 high school graduation rates, but this is the first time the Department has compiled these rates in one public document. These 2010-11 graduation rates are preliminary, state-reported data, and the Department plans to release final rates in the coming months. Beginning with data for the 2011-12 school year, graduation rates calculated using this new method will become a key element of state accountability systems, including for states that have been approved for ESEA flexibility.
–From Maureen Downey, for the AJC Get Schooled blog
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380 comments Add your comment
Kim
November 27th, 2012
10:04 am
@ Mountain Man….my point was that we all complain about our schools here in GA and across the US let’s compare how other kids perform from other countries as far as math, science, technology……they surpass us BIG TIME! We should expect more out of our kids, school systems, government, and ourselves! If we invest more $$$ on education than on our kids playing SPORTS then we could possibly beat Alabama and Mississippi!
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
10:07 am
if I polled a certain subsection of posters here, I could create a stat which shows 100 % of alleged teachers who dodge tough questions think its OK to call people who disagree with them..
its not reflective of the realities of the community here, but it says what I want it to say.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:09 am
Start by offering a path to graduation that isn’t college oriented (aka tracking). Next, admit the cultural realities of the mexican and black communities in GA (education is just not a cultural priority to them). Lastly, adjust politically to the reality of our demographic.
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
10:10 am
@ kim,
anyone who has been here three weeks knows Georgia values football over education.
its not good, but it IS.
and that fetish cuts across the red/blue lines so many here like to draw.
simple fact is, we have a ton of problems and there is no one size fits all solution. and we KNOW that- we just choose to ignore it
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
10:15 am
well, there we go. and a child has pointed the way.
if we just get them brown and black people out of the way, our grad rates and holy standardized test scores will go up.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:17 am
You obviously didn’t read the article did you. Look at the numbers!!!!!! I love how you idealists ignore reality. And when the problem looks you straight in the face, addressing it makes you a . . . . . . . raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacist. Pathetic.
Kim
November 27th, 2012
10:23 am
@bootney farnsworth,
Well if GA values football over education then I think for every dollar spent (taxes) on sports should also be spent on education! Dollar for Dollar! City of Atlanta should poll people to see if they want a NEW DOME or MORE $$$ towards the schools! Let’s see who wins………
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:27 am
Just in case you all can’t stand to look at reality in the face, here is is for you.
Graduation for the following groups in GA:
Asians: 79 percent
Black students: 60 percent
Hispanic: 58 percent
Whites: 76 percent
Oh, but if you point out this reality, you are raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacist. There is a 16 percentage point spread between black and whites, and you all can’t admit the problem(s), at their core, are cultural and political? Are Oz and Candy Land real too?
Kim
November 27th, 2012
10:33 am
@bootney farnsworth,
trying to get rid of certain race of people sounds like Hilter’s ideas! Not a good thing! This is 2012 and every group of people deserve a chance in a good education system, regardless of race, sex, religion, disability, etc. Until we get over the fact of what kind of people lives here in the USA……we will never SURPASS other countries!
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:34 am
Kim, did anyone say we should get rid of anybody?
Kim
November 27th, 2012
10:37 am
@EChild,
when someone refers to the following : “if we just get them brown and black people out of the way, our grad rates and holy standardized test scores will go up.
What do you think?
Pride and Joy
November 27th, 2012
10:37 am
EVERY GA student can get a high school education.
There is no “plantation” system here. The graduation rates for WHITES is only 76%.
24% of all white kids drop out of high school.
That is an epidemic and a tragedy.
The country club kids don’t attend public schools. They attend private schools.
So, the “plantation” system is just a tired old excuse.
Georgia is waaaay behind the rest of the nation.
All the graduation rates are a tragedy and an injustice to the children.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:40 am
That person was being sarcastic. Read the thread. Wow folks . . . . . . . . can we get anymore clueless?
Foxhunter
November 27th, 2012
10:42 am
@Kim – with all due respect, the ‘out of the way’ comment was sarcasm.
Pride and Joy
November 27th, 2012
10:44 am
EChild makes a good point for callng out Kim. No one said to get rid of the blacks and browns.
What I say is — Cultures, get your act together and value what is important.
EDUCATION is important because it DETERMINES our ability to earn a decent living for ourselves and our children. I define decent as buying health care insurace, having a savings account and not participating in social programs that subsidize our own living expenses.
Education means we can pay our own way.
Until we value paying our own way through our own work, we won’t better our futures.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
10:46 am
Pride and Joy, at least 76% is . . . . . . . passing. How do you explain the massive gap between Whites and Asians vs. Black and Hispanics (Mexicans)? Also, within GA, do you all have any idea what percentage of our total population is made up of both Blacks and Mexicans? Address these questions and the percentages that accompany them, and then you may (maaaaaaaaaaaaaay) see the problem for what it really is.
Kimberly
November 27th, 2012
10:59 am
@Tony, As the co-founder of an extremely successful, grass roots charter school that requires high family involvement AND expects (and routinely supports) high professional development, I know what family and community involvement can do to deeply change a community and her children’s lives.
Yes families and communities are co-responsible with teachers and administrators but as a HIGHLY involved parent I can tell you that the system (boards, admins, teachers and some parents) (especially in the city of Atlanta) often resents parent involvement if we challenge the decades old systemic problems that allow children to fail, celebrates mediocrity and keeps employing people who just clock in to get a paycheck. That is not all but it is a powerful force that has me extremely frustrated as a parent of a City of Atlanta highschooler.
I have been told more than once that “our” ideas for change are not welcome when the change sought is transformation a system that would rather send their children into the prison industrial complex than to successful paths such as college, honorable trades and a life of inquisitive, critical thinking.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
11:05 am
Kimberly, whatever you do, don’t challenge cultural norms that are literally keeping entire groups of people down. And even more important, don’t vote to reform social programs that have broken up families and created a mass culture of lethargy. I’m a public school teacher, and I voted for the charter school amendment for the exact reasons you stated. APS spends over 13k per pupil a year (almost twice the per-pupil expenditures of my county), and what do they have to show for it? The groups that benefit the most from charter schools don’t like them . . . . . . . . they are brainwashed beyond belief.
Dr. Cletus Bulach
November 27th, 2012
11:16 am
I have been in many Atlanta area schools during the last 20 years. A major problem is that the five basic needs of all students are not being met. If these needs are not met, there will be a lack of motivation and that leads to low test scores and a high dropout rate, These needs are also not being met by the parents of these students. Here are the five basic needs: life, caring, control, purpose, and happiness.
Many kids, approximately 50% go to school believing the teachers do not care and the other kids do not care about them. That need for caring is not met! They are told what to study and what the rules are. The need for some control is not met! Many kids (50%) go to school without a purpose. They are just there taking up space and they are not happy. What motivates a student who is not happy, has no purpose, has no control, and believes the other students and teachers do not care. What if the same needs are not being met at home?
I have written a book (2nd edition) that creates a school culture and learning environment where these five basic needs are met. The title is “Creating a Culture for High Performing Schools: A Comprehensive Approach for School Reform, Dropout Prevention, and Bullying Behavior.” More information on how to improve our schools is on my website at http://www.westga.edu/~cbulach.
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:20 am
@ kim
please check the dictionary for sarcasm
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:21 am
and take a prozac. maybe two
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:26 am
Here’s the thing you’re speaking for an entire race of people which is complete BS.
It’s like me saying since White Guy A is racist that means every other white guy is racist.
Plus education is valued around here the problem isn’t even that. People don’t mind learning what they do mind is learning BS that won’t help them in the long run, or that don’t fall into one their interests.
Again using the Doctor or even someone trying to be one as an example do you think they care who the first president of the U.S is?
Kim
November 27th, 2012
11:26 am
We need “TIGER MOMS” or “TIGER DADS” here……
Susan
November 27th, 2012
11:27 am
@Kimberly: Very truthful comment. You hit the nail on the head.
“… ideas for change are not welcome when the change sought is transformation a system that would rather send their children into the prison industrial complex than to successful paths such as college, honorable trades and a life of inquisitive, critical thinking.”
If Georgia did that, then who would serve the luncheons at the country clubs?
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:28 am
@ EChild
You’re not a teacher stop trying to pretend.
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:30 am
is the noisy child a racist? doubt it. most certainly a bigot, but that’s a different topic.
just an simple arrogant troll trying to pass itself off as educated.
sad thing is, the child has half a point, even blind squirrels find occasional acorns.
there is indeed a segment of the black community which does not put any value on education. same in the hispanic community. same as the white community same as very community.
until the black community -or any other community- itself addresses this issue, nothing is gonna change. this is why I’ve always been a big proponent of education being voluntary after elementary school.
what the child does, as children often do, is over exaggerate and paint with overly broad brushes looking for simple answers which fit its worldview.
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:34 am
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education
so much for the mindset standardization is the solution.
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:35 am
@ bootney farnsworth
That I wouldn’t mind, but then again as I said before one thing that was lost between elementary and the rest of schooling grades 6-12 was a sense of fun and excitement at least for many of us that’s what happened.
RCB
November 27th, 2012
11:37 am
Well Ray, I think everyone SHOULD care who the first President was. It’s called history and is an invaluable part of a true education. Too many people only care about the “here and now.”
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:38 am
@ ray,
that’s what comes from standardized teaching for standardized testing. and, frankly, poor teachers.
the system compels teaching to the lowest common denominator instead of pushing and innovating.
bootney farnsworth
November 27th, 2012
11:39 am
yeah, Washington basically founded the nation as we know it.
sorta important knowledge for every American
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:41 am
@ RCB
Let me make that example clear.
They know who the first president is, but do they give a (insert explicit word here) after say first grade.
Plus what I really mean in the long run is that someone trying to go to school being a doctor might not like history all that much so why would you make them take of course this is unless their learning history of medicine and what not. As for everything else why does a doctor want to learn about Thomas Jefferson and his life how does that help them in the medical field?
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:44 am
@ bootney farnsworth
Don’t get me wrong history is important, but like I told RCB how does it help a doctor in the long run unless again their studying medical history or even just history of medicine.
Logical Dad
November 27th, 2012
11:47 am
Man, I leave this comment thread for a few hours and it (as usual) devolves into issues of race. (We are in Georgia, after all.) Look, can we all just agree on this:
Resolved: EChild does not like “blacks” or “mexicans.”
All in favor?
Ray
November 27th, 2012
11:49 am
I concur with that @ Logical Dad
Pride and Joy
November 27th, 2012
11:50 am
I am answering EChild’s earnest questions:
Echild asks “Pride and Joy, at least 76% is . . . . . . . passing. How do you explain the massive gap between Whites and Asians vs. Black and Hispanics (Mexicans)?”
My explanation in the gaps is the values of a particular sub-culture.
Asians highly value education. They spend their time on traditional, academic education because they value it. You will see no Asian star football players and basket ball players in GA high schools. You see academic success.
A culture’s value is easily determined by simply counting the amount of time engaged in that activity.
The more time one spends doing an activity, the more likely it is that one becomes good at it.
Look at the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Chock full of Asians. Why? They value classic musical instruction. Every Asian parent I know has their child in violin or piano lessons and none of them are on the football team.
Asians also do not speak English as their first language, yet they excel over all other English-speaking groups. This is an inconvenient truth. It doesn’t jive with the ESOL rationale as to why Latinos don’t succeed in schools. It’s not the language. It’s the culture. The culture values physical labor and sports like soccer.
Whites value education and football. The more they value football, the less time they have for education.
One look at the school featured in this article gives a vivid explanation for poor educational outcomes. In theory, the school mentioned in this blog values four things as evidenced by their coat of arms. Athletics is one of four. Yet, one look at their school web site’s pictures, tells the other truth. Out of fourteen pictures revolving on the school web site, EIGHT are football pictures. Six are of everything else.
All people take pictures of things that are important to them, that’s why we Americans have lots of vacation photos. Time with family is important but…what’s important in our GA schools?
FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL. FOOTBALL.
Unless we are Asian-Georgians. Then it’s academics.
It’s no secret but one that is sacred to many Georgians who don’t want to admit it.
Football in Georgia is bigger than everything else, including God.
Susan
November 27th, 2012
11:53 am
On a relevant note: This is Florida news, but it’s the same in Georgia.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/jim-greer-florida-voting-laws_n_2192802.html
“Jim Greer, the former head of the Florida Republican Party, recently claimed that a law shortening the early voting period in the state was deliberately designed to suppress voting among groups that tend to support Democratic candidates, the Palm Beach Post reports.”
“The Republican Party, the strategists, the consultants, they firmly believe that early voting is bad for Republican Party candidates,” Greer told the Post. “It’s done for one reason and one reason only…‘We’ve got to cut down on early voting because early voting is not good for us.’”
“The sad thing about that is yes, there is prejudice and racism in the party but the real prevailing thought is that they don’t think minorities will ever vote Republican,” he told the Post.
Greer went on to suggest that there was “absolutely nothing” state Republicans wouldn’t do in following their “absolute obsession with retaining power.”
Susan
November 27th, 2012
11:55 am
My point: Preventing the citizens from an education that will teach them to think for themselves is generally not that good for the Republican leadership. Georgia is stuck in a time warp.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
11:59 am
Yeah, that’s why I’ve spent the last 12 years teaching both these groups. My observation is based on my experience with these two groups. Yes, that is anecdotal, but as bootney farnsworth finally admitted, I do have a point, which many of you are ignoring and afraid to address. I’ve made very specif recommendations and have presented very poignant questions, and none of you will answer them because you either can’t or are afraid to. Ray and bootney farnsworth, I’m still waiting for a real alternative to standardized testing. And none of you, except bootney farnsworth, will even attempt to address the cultural reality of this state. Again, what do you all have to say about the 16% point gap in graduation numbers between whites and blacks in this state? Again . . . . . . . pathetic.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
12:00 pm
Susan, GA’s politics reflect it’s ethnic and racial reality. Stop with the “time warp” crap. If you don’t like GA’s politics, leave.
Ray
November 27th, 2012
12:05 pm
Susan you do have a point don’t let the self proclaim teacher of all stop you.
Ray
November 27th, 2012
12:11 pm
As far as my culture(blacks/African Americans) is concerned we do value education. It’s just that in certain areas like rural counties compared to urbanized cities is probably different.
I do know for a fact my family does value education very highly even those located in rural areas like Burke County for example.
Only thing is like with some of my relatives one that is nearby my current age he didn’t care for college at first. Because he wanted to do farm/factory/other type work like that. He did eventually go to a tech school, but that’s one way our values differ because I wanted to do work in the Computer field.
Ray
November 27th, 2012
12:13 pm
I’m going to have to leave though about to go to another class.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
12:16 pm
Ahhhh, see, there is a big difference between a generalization, which is what the numbers in this article present, and your personal situation, Ray. If you can’t make that distinction between you and generalities, then you shouldn’t be reading statistics. And of course you don’t want to address the blatant issue presented in this article . . . . . . .. your Black!
EChild
November 27th, 2012
12:19 pm
“Oh, but my family, as an African American, is different”. Well thank you captain obvious. Did anyone say there weren’t exceptions. The article makes clear there are not nearly as many exceptions as there should be in GA’s Black population. Do you get it now? If you take all of this personally, you have completely missed the point.
Kim
November 27th, 2012
12:25 pm
@ bootney farnsworth….all prozac taken by you, apparently….
@ EChild….so sad…..and this is why our country is the way it is!
EChild
November 27th, 2012
12:26 pm
Kim, address the issues I’ve brought up rather than taking the easy way out. Nevermind, bury your head in the sand.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
12:48 pm
And for anyone reading who actually thinks bootney farnsworth has anything worthwhile or somewhat intelligent to say, these are her/his words, “I’ve always been a big proponent of education being voluntary after elementary school”. Idiotic doesn’t even begin to cut it! Let’s get rid of child labor laws too if we aren’t going to put our kids in school until they are legal adults.
Prof
November 27th, 2012
12:50 pm
Just a few comments.
The reason that Georgia has “social promotion” is because our state legislature passed a law permitting it. Schools and teachers have to follow the law.
Those making blanket statements about blacks and Hispanics should recognize the enormous difference that socio-economic class can make for those groups.
It’s too bad that our k-12 education doesn’t follow the lead of higher education nationally in considering 6-year cohorts for graduation rates rather than 4. Example: in 2015, Georgia will base its funding to USG schools upon their 6-year graduation rate rather than their enrollments. NOT their 4-year graduation rate.
EChild
November 27th, 2012
1:00 pm
The enormous socio-economic difference is a given. We should be asking why the difference exists, and what, if anything, are we doing to perpetuate or better it. 70% of black children being raised by single moms as the #1 cause of low economic status in black communities comes to mind, but I’ll leave it at that without getting too political.