High School Dropout Rate

A couple of months ago, in one of my local newspapers, they said that the

Jerry Okamura...

S> the pass rates are around 80-85%. Any teacher knows that they

Jerry Okamura...

That is not indicated in anything I have read. A 10% fail rate
indicated
to me that the exam does not appear exacting and nowhere like the
national
terminal exams in other countries which have higher rejection rates.

Jerry Okamura...

exams,
not a one swell swoop exam at the end. Last years report is given
in news form at

SCHOOLS CHIEF JACK O'CONNELL RELEASES 2004-05
CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAM RESULTS

Passage Rates on High School Exit Exam Exceeding Projections

SACRAMENTO - State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack
O'Connell today announced that results of the 2004-05 California High
School Exit Examination (CAHSEE) show that the passage rate for
students in the class of 2006 is exceeding projections.

The latest results reveal steady improvement since the class of 2006
initially took the CAHSEE as tenth graders in 2003-04. So far, an
estimated 88 percent of the class of 2006 has passed the
English-language arts portion of the test and an estimated 88 percent
has passed the math portion of the test. The class of 2006 is the first
class in California required to pass the high school exit exam in order
to receive a high school diploma.

"The California High School Exit Exam is one of the cornerstones of
California's accountability system," O'Connell said. "Adding CAHSEE
to our graduation requirements gives employers, students, and the
public assurance that a diploma signifies mastery of the minimal skills
necessary for a student to succeed after high school. I knew that our
students could rise to the challenge of higher expectations, and I am
proud of the rate of student success thus far on the exam.

The vast majority of the incoming senior class has already passed the
exit exam, and our schools have cut in half the number of students that
have yet to pass. At this pace, we are on track toward a passage rate
close to the same percentage of students that now fulfill all other
requirements to receive a high school diploma."

The 2004-05 CAHSEE results also reveal good news for the class of 2007.
About three-fourths of participating tenth graders passed each part of
the test: 75 percent in English-language arts and 74 percent in
mathematics. These scores show students in the class of 2007 performing
as well or better than the class of 2006.

The estimated number of incoming seniors that has completed both
portions of the CAHSEE requirement won't be known until the end of
September when an independent evaluator's annual report is due.

When analyzed by subgroups, the CAHSEE data show less positive news.
While all subgroups of students are making steady, and, in some cases,
impressive progress on both the English-language arts and mathematics
portions of the exam, significantly lower passage rates persist for
some subgroups of students compared to the statewide passage rate.

The test results show a 21 percentage point gain in mathematics by
African American students, but still, only a 75 percent passage rate by
the eleventh grade; and a 19 percentage point gain in English-language
arts with an 82 percent passage rate by the eleventh grade.

Results for Latino students show a 20 percentage point gain in
mathematics, but an 81 percent estimated passage rate in the eleventh
grade; and a 19 percentage point gain in English-language arts with an
81 percent passage rate in the eleventh grade.

Students receiving special education services showed an impressive 21
percentage point gain in mathematics, but unfortunately, only a 51
percent passage rate in the eleventh grade; and a 24 percentage point
gain in English-language arts, with a 54 percent passage rate in the
eleventh grade.

"These results for our special education students are particularly
noteworthy," O'Connell said. "The impressive gains made by the class
of 2006 from their sophomore to junior years should not go unnoticed.
It is a significant achievement. Nevertheless, their overall low
passage rate continues to concern me and underscores why our education
professionals need to focus on moving these children toward higher
academic achievement."

"The California High School Exit Exam is designed to ensure that all
students graduate with basic knowledge and skills that they need in the
workplace and in life, and to shine a light on those who are
struggling," O'Connell continued. "While I am pleased that the
majority of students are successfully passing the exam, I am also
troubled by the persistence of the achievement gap among many of our
subgroups. I expect our high schools to focus on those students who are
in danger of not mastering the skills measured by this exam and I want
to remind all students that passage of the exit exam will be a
graduation requirement this year. I urge them to take it seriously."

State law requires that all public school students pass the CAHSEE as a
high school diploma requirement. The CAHSEE addresses state content
standards in English-language arts and mathematics. Students are
required to take the CAHSEE for the first time in tenth grade. During
the 2004-05 school year, approximately one-half million tenth graders
took the CAHSEE.

After tenth graders take the CAHSEE, they are given up to five
additional opportunities to pass the test during high school. This
school year, seniors who have not yet passed will have up to three more
opportunities to take the exam.

An additional $20 million has been earmarked in the state budget to
assist those members of the class of 2006 still struggling to pass the
CAHSEE. The state has also allocated $48 million to specifically assist
students receiving special education services in order to help them
pass the CAHSEE, as well as $165 million for all students in grades
seven through twelve that are in need of remedial instruction.

The high school exit exam is only one of the many requirements in
California schools needed for graduation. Local districts also impose
specific subject requirements that must be met before students are
allowed to graduate.

The California Department of Education (CDE) provides every tenth
grader CAHSEE study guides for English-language arts and mathematics
and has released nearly 300 questions from past CAHSEE administrations
for teachers, students, and parents to review.

School, school district, county, and state level results for the CAHSEE

Jake...

S> the pass rates are around 80-85%. Any teacher knows that they

Jake...

rick++...

Most of these test at the high school level.
The Califonia Exit Test tests at a pre-high school level.
Even the SAT is designed to test 9th grade level.
10% is terrible in that respect.

high school dropout rate was 70%. I don't know if that is high or low,
since I went to a dependent school in Japan, and most of my classmates did
not spend the whole 4 years in that high school because their fathers tour

Jake...

of duty was only 18 months. So, the question I have is, do you remember if
the drop out rate in your high school was around that number.

Jake...

You got your numbers switched around somehow. A dropout rate of 70%
is
anywhere nearly correct even in the worse highschool of the nation.

The web has a lot of information on this, and the government also
publishes statistics
on this. One problem is confusing dropout rate and completion rate,
the latter being
those who eventually get a high school diploma but who may have dropped
out.

One slightly dated source of information for the year 2000 is

The historical figures give a rough idea of the evolution of the
figures.
But one figure to keep in one's head is that the HS completion rate
is over 80%. Higher for girls than boys along Whites, Blacks and
Hispanics.
The boy rate for Hispanics in recent years has gone below 50%.
Black competion rates are overall around 80% now, Hispanic overall
around 60%. The Blacks are catching up but the Hispanics are
not, possibly due to illegals coming in and their children only going
into the
education system briefly. Or they are too far behind to catch up.
Family
cultures play a big role in determining how important education is.

This site gives the overall completion rate in the 85-86% range in 2000
while the overall dropouts should be the remainder but is given as
about 11%. That rate has fallen from around 15% in 1972, so things
are "getting better".

If you go on to college statistics, 58% of the students are now
women, male rates have been falling except for higher degrees.
Girls of all the groups are working harder than to get somewhere
in education than the boys. This is never talked much about.

AndyS...

Andy writes

I don't think anyone in my high school class ( rural N C ) dropped
out.
it was unheard of. Some with learning problems went to special schools,

and some were held back a grade or two, but "dropping out" didn't
happen. To us that was something that happened in big cities among
juvenile delinquents....
Andy

Sir Frederick...

When I went to high school (fifties, Tucson), dropping out was anti-social,

Jerry Okamura...

You got your numbers switched around somehow. A dropout rate of 70%
is
anywhere nearly correct even in the worse highschool of the nation.

The web has a lot of information on this, and the government also
publishes statistics
on this. One problem is confusing dropout rate and completion rate,
the latter being
those who eventually get a high school diploma but who may have dropped
out.

One slightly dated source of information for the year 2000 is

Thanks, that will be a good place to start my education on the matter.

The historical figures give a rough idea of the evolution of the
figures.
But one figure to keep in one's head is that the HS completion rate
is over 80%. Higher for girls than boys along Whites, Blacks and
Hispanics.
The boy rate for Hispanics in recent years has gone below 50%.
Black competion rates are overall around 80% now, Hispanic overall
around 60%. The Blacks are catching up but the Hispanics are
not, possibly due to illegals coming in and their children only going
into the
education system briefly. Or they are too far behind to catch up.
Family
cultures play a big role in determining how important education is.

Good points. I guess I don't remember if the article used the word dropout
rate or high school completion rate.... But you data still supports one of
my arguments. Even a HS completion of 80% does not seem to be a number I
would pound my chest over. If it were in the 90's, I would, but not 80%,
because that means, 20% did not, and that 20% is going to most likely be
suffering from our failures for the rest of their life.

This site gives the overall completion rate in the 85-86% range in 2000
while the overall dropouts should be the remainder but is given as
about 11%. That rate has fallen from around 15% in 1972, so things
are "getting better".

That is good news..

Jerry Okamura...

I wonder what the dropout rate in your old school is today? If it has not
changed much, then I guess that means the community is doine something
right.

AndyS...

Andy comments:
Well, I was in the Class of 63 and all the teachers and staff have
gone to their deserved rewards. I heard that it changed from a high
school to an elementary school a long time ago..... I went to the 25
year
reunion, but haven't had an inclination to go to the subsequent ones...

Jake...

Personally I don't remembere any drops outs in 1950, but we did not pay
much attention to it at the time. I went to a lower middle class high
school
and so there must have been those who left at 16 to go to work.

Nationawide, the white drop out in 1960 was around 50%, much larger
than
people imagine now

The most recent stats are 2004, which can be gotten from the
Statistical
Abstracts of the United States;

These go back to 1960.

The gender gap is less now than I had indicated

Those with a high school diploma (or more) Table 215 2004

Whites Blacks Asian Hispanic

Male 85.3 80.4 88.7 57.3

Female 86.3 80.8 85.0 59.5

I would assume that the Asian gap are influenced by a culture which
pushes boys more academically than girls.

Going back to 1990 the figures were

Whites Blacks Asian Hispanic

Male 79.1 65.8 84.0 50.3
Female 79.0 66.5 77.2 51.3

An enormous improvement has occurred in the black
population between 1970 when the diploma rates
were only 30%. Even with the white population the
rate was just above 40% in 1960. So the dropout
figures where high in our youths even among Whites.

As for college graduates (all degrees), white men and women rates
are now 30.0 and 26.4% respectively in 2004, up from 25.3 and 19%
in 1990. For blacks the figures are 16.6 and 18.5% in 2004, up from
11.9 and 10.8% in 1990. Asians are 53.9 and 45.6% in 2004 up
from 44.9 and 35.4% in 1990. For Hispanics the figures are 11.8
and 12.3% in 2004, up from 9.8% and 8.7%, in 1990. These figures
indicate that the improvement for Blacks has been spectacular,
black women now are where white women were in 1990. Similar
improvements occur in many health statistics and longevity with
most moving forward.

I think this presents a mostly optimistic view for the future. The
Hispanic
figures are the most complicated. The Cuban Hispanics have a much
different
picture, some came from middle and upper class backgrounds so
their education statistics look better (I have not shown them, that
is from memory). But those coming across the border
from Mexico are not from the same class, they are poor and that creates
a problem in education. They also are constantly being added to in the
states
which is less true for the Amercan Blacks and Cuban Hispanics.

The above reference also gives tables on kids having serious problems
with English (about 20%). There both the Hispanics and the Asians have
a problem
but the "Asians" are a broad category, so one would have to subdivide
them to find which groups have the problem. Still the Asians have the
highest
completion rate and do well in the diploma area. So they overcome
their
handicap. Why is another problem.

so it was never discussed. Under five percent I guess.