EdSource Today: Number of youths living on the margins is growing

By Susan Frey

One in seven youths nationwide is disconnected from school or work, a percentage that has grown dramatically since the economic recession, according to a study released Thursday. Nationwide, 5.8 million young people, age 16 to 24, are living on the margins without even part-time jobs – an increase of 800,000 between 2007 and 2010.

The report ranks the 25 largest metropolitan areas, including five in California, based on the percentage of disconnected youth. One in Seven: Ranking Youth Disconnection in the 25 Largest Metro Areas was done by Measure of America, a project of the nonpartisan Social Science Research Council.

via Number of youths living on the margins is growing – by Susan Frey.

Edutopia: Middle School’s Role in Dropout Prevention

Anne OBrien Deputy Director of the Learning First Alliance

Our nation is on the right track when it comes to high school graduation. The graduation rate is the highest it has ever been (75.5% for the class of 2009), and between 1990 and 2010, the percentage of dropouts among 16- to 24-year-olds declined from 12.1% to 7.4%. While there are still racial and socioeconomic gaps in these areas, improvement is happening across the board.

But we have to do better. In addition to what we know about the personal and societal benefits to high school graduation (higher wage for individuals and lower crime rates for communities among them), as we look towards our nation’s economic future, it is projected that in 2018, 63 percent of jobs will require postsecondary education. Just 10 percent of jobs will be available to high school dropouts (compared to 32% in 1973). At our current rate of improvement, the nation’s graduation rate will be closer to 80 percent than 90 percent in 2020, two years after 90 percent of jobs will require high school graduation.

via Middle School’s Role in Dropout Prevention.

The Educated Guess: Trending toward graduation

By Kathryn Baron

California’s high school graduation rate is edging upwards for most groups of students. The overall graduation rate for 2010-11 was 76.3 percent, or 1.5 percent above the prior year.

Tom Torlakson, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, acknowledged that while it’s not a surge, it’s still good news.

“It’s heading in the right direction; it’s certainly not where we want it to be,” said Torlakson during a telephone conference call with journalists on Wednesday. “The thing that I think is more noteworthy is the larger gains we’re seeing among Hispanics and African American students.”

The graduation rate for Hispanic students increased by 2.2 percent to 70.4 percent, and rose by 2.3 percent among African American students to reach 62.9 percent. At the same time, dropout rates for those groups of students fell by 3.1 percent and 2.1 percent respectively. English learners also showed progress, with a 3.8 percent increase in their graduation rates.

via Trending toward graduation – by Kathryn Baron.

Vallejo Times-Herald: California and Vallejo see slight increase in high school graduation rate

By Sarah Rohrs

Graduation rates among California’s and Vallejo public high school students are climbing and drop out rates are falling, the state Department of Education announced Wednesday.

“It’s all positive. It’s a step in the right direction,” Department of Education spokeswoman Tina Jung said.

The trend is also apparent in the Vallejo City Unified School District, which saw a slight boost in its graduation rate from the 2009-10 school year to last year.

In Vallejo, 54.1 percent graduated from high school this year, a small increase over the previous year’s rate of 53.6 percent, according to the state.

via California and Vallejo see slight increase in high school graduation ….

The Reporter: California graduation rates up, dropout rates down

More California high school students graduated in 2011 and fewer dropped out, with the biggest gains posted by Hispanic, black and English learner students, the state Department of Education said Wednesday.

Most Solano County schools also saw strong graduation rates and dwindling dropout numbers, according to the state figures.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said he was encouraged by the results, which put California’s graduation rate at 76.3 percent, up 1.5 percent from 2010, and dropout rate at 14.4 percent, down by 2.2 percent, from 2010, but noted there was still much room for improvement.

“It’s going in the right direction, but it’s not where we want it to be,” Torlakson said. “We want to be at 85-90 percent.”

via California graduation rates up, dropout rates down.

Daily Republic: Fairfield, Suisun graduation rates improve

FAIRFIELD — Following a statewide trend, more high school students in Fairfield graduated in 2011 and fewer dropped out, with big gains posted by Hispanic and black students, according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Education.

Districtwide, Fairfield-Suisun had an 82.9 percent graduation rate, up 4.1 percent from 2010, and a dropout rate of 13.7 percent, down 3.2 percent from the previous year.

Graduation rates increased while dropout rates fell for Hispanic and black students in the Fairfield-Suisun School District. Hispanic students in the Fairfield area graduated at a rate of 83.4 percent, up 10.6 percent from 2010 and dropped out at a rate of 14.7 percent, down 7.9 percent from the previous year.

Over the same period, black students graduated at a 77.2 percent rate, up 9.8 percent, while dropout rates fell 8.7 percent to 16.3 percent.

via Fairfield, Suisun graduation rates improve.

CA Dept of Education: Graduate, Dropout Rates Released

SACRAMENTO—Graduation rates among California’s public school students are climbing and dropout rates are falling, with the biggest gains being made among English learners and the state’s largest minority groups, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today.

More than three quarters, or 76.3 percent, of students who started high school in 2007 graduated with their class in 2011. That is up 1.5 percentage points from the 2010 graduation rate. Larger gains were seen among Hispanic and African American students at 2.2 and 2.3 percentage points respectively, with the biggest increase being among English learners at 3.8 percentage points. The graduation rate for socioeconomically disadvantaged students climbed nearly 2 percentage points, from 68.1 to 70 percent.

via Graduate, Dropout Rates Released.