Working Together to Make a Change
Graduating high school is one of the most stressed issues as you enter middle and high school. In schools all around North Carolina, graduation rates are increasing along with dropout rates. A dropout is someone who has banded a course of study. The latest statistics (2014-2015) show that graduation rates increased from 68.3 percent to 83.9 percent. Likewise, dropout rates have increased from 2.39 percent (in the school year 2013 - 2014) to 4.9 percent in the following school year. Parents and schools have different reasoning as to why dropout rates are steadily increasing.
Families say that the state decreasing their investment in public education and racism are to blame for the sudden dropout rate increase. Researchers claim that African American students are four times more likely to be short term suspended and two times more likely to be expelled than any other race. Short term suspension count for North Carolina was 1088 in the school year of 2013-2014. The following school year it decreased slightly to 1085 short term suspensions. Alternative school enrollment count has increased by 8.4 percent within the last year. Although, declined investment in public education plays a much vaster role in the sudden dropout rate. Statistics show that students who got o a high per-pupil spending school as a younger student, have a higher chance of graduation. Investment cuts have increased class sizes, causing overfilled classroom and distractions. State budget cuts also prevented schools from being able to provide students with up to date text books and reduced the number of teachers available.
School officials say they are not to blame. Crime, attendance and enrollment in community college are to blame. Students in North Carolina are more likely to drop out in their sophomore year than any other year in their high school career. Crime in schools alone have increased from 1.5 percent in the school year of 2013-2014 to an astonishing 6.6 percent the following year. As dropout rates increase, community college rates are too. Community college enrollment count in the past year is 735,000 students enrolled. June Atkinson, the state's superintendent, says that schools need to "renew efforts" to help increase graduation rates and decrease drop out rates. Atkinson then identifies the rise in crime as "the trend of the wrong decision". She then goes on to add that she is "concerned because the same kids who are dropping out are all in the same group and grade level".
Drop out percentage rate is definitely something that the school, the parents, and the state have to come together to improve our youth. Parents have to cooperate and work with the school together in making sure that students are in class everyday, and that they are not causing crime and that they are all treated fairly. The state needs to cooperate with the schools and give more funds to the students because the effect of low investment may cause distraction. Coming together is something key in helping our youth learn and thrive to the best of their ability.
Atkinson, June. Crime, dropout rates increase in NC schools. NC: Capitol Broadcasting Company, 2016
