Graduation findings disputed
Although Utah's high school graduates outnumber the national average, the number of teenagers making it to graduation day is falling, and a new report says districts aren't outlining improvement plans or requirements for college readiness.
However, details in Education Week's "Diplomas Count 2009," and the numbers used to calculate the results, are being disputed by the Utah State Office of Education.
"There really is very little that is accurate in their report," said Brenda Hales, associate state superintendent of student achievement and school success. She said education officials in Utah have notified the publication and are working to get the correct graduation rates represented. The report, Hales said, is based on approximations, which include students who have fallen through the cracks and leaves out those who move to another district.
"Utah public schools care about and track every public school student," Hales said. "We care very much about graduation rates. It is our top priority."
According to the report being released today, Utah graduates 72.2 percent of high school students. The national average reported is 69.2 percent. Hales said actual numbers indicate that 78.6 percent graduate in Utah. The state's numbers show an increase of one-tenth of a percentage point over last year's state-reported data, while the national report outlines a more than 6 percent decline during the 10 years from the class of 1996 to the class of 2006.
For the first time in the report's 10 years of publication, the national data revealed a slight downturn for the class of 2006, with high schools graduating fewer students than in years before.
Three out of every 10 students in the country's public schools still fail to finish high school with a diploma, as stated in the report. That amounts to 1.3 million lost from the graduation pipeline every year, or almost 7,200 students lost each day. The report also points out that there is no firm consensus among states, schools and policy makers on what it means to be ready for post-secondary education or how to measure college readiness.
"The nation is failing to reach a level necessary to put the United States on a solid footing in a competitive global market," said Christopher B. Swanson, director of the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, which is part of the nonprofit that publishes Education Week. "However, the longer-term trajectory of change for the country's graduation rates does offer some reason to be cautiously optimistic."
Recent comments
Before everyone jumps on the bandwagon to do away with release-time...
Seminary | June 10, 2009 at 1:34 p.m.
There are advertisements on the radio about what is right with Utah...
Utah Educators doing Poor | June 10, 2009 at 6:33 a.m.
I went to Utah public schools (in American Fork) until spring of my...
Former Utah Student | June 9, 2009 at 10:18 p.m.
- Officer responding to call killed 12:28 a.m.
- Philippine police clash with clan 12:28 a.m.
- Editorial: Fine-tune state workweek 12:18 a.m.
- Let's keep energy money in the U.S. 12:18 a.m.
- How to pay for the war 12:17 a.m.
- Feast of Guadalupe nourishes soul 12:17 a.m.
- Obama's strategy is a road map 12:17 a.m.
- Letters: Global warming a lie 12:17 a.m.
- Letters: Democrats' ethics 12:17 a.m.
- Letters: 'Political priestcraft' 12:17 a.m.
- Y., U. to learn bowl destinations
- BYU and Utah's bowl games
- BYU professor remembered
- The forgotten ship: USS Utah
- Branch president without a congregation
- BYU basketball: Cougars crush Dons
- Utahns want health care reform bills
- Kurt Bestor: Joy for the world
- Jazz upset by Wolves
- Urn of baby rests with sailors
- Letters: Liberal because LDS
257 - Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
214 - Hate not limited to 1 in-state rivalry
189 - Aggies shoot past Cougars
179 - N.Y. Senate rejects gay marriage
130 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
113 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
109 - Unbeaten BYU takes trip to Logan
105 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
97 - Harpring's NBA career is over
95
Trolley Square's annual Holiday Open House will feature visits with...
That does it — I'm having an affair! Thanks to Tiger Woods, David...
First, a big thank you to all who posted questions here for me to ask...
The BCS's time has come and gone. They are as archaic as the pony express in...
They really got some flattering photos didn't they?
Thanks Mr. Sorenson. This needs to be treated at the highest levels of...
Please do NOT post statements such as "Trax loses money on every passenger"...
Whenever I ride tracks I get the feeling that I'm only traveling 35 miles, at...
Iran may be a threat to Israel, but they are not a threat to the USA.
Rivalry | 10:13 a.m. Nov. 27, 2009 Since the reward for either team to win...
Afraid that you have almost totally mis-characterized BYU fans. I have been...
How many do-overs are they going to give Max Hall before he finally wins a...
Hey Shelly, I am really glad your doing so well,I also have a family member...


