Comments about ‘Data show graduation disparity’

As the past Chair of the Davis School District Equity Committee, I want to express, as a private citizen, my satisfaction at seeing these lower graduation rates being presented to the public by the State that seems to bridge the oftentimes discrepant higher graduation rates used in the past that don't seem to line up with ethnic minority organization numbers of the higher number of drop-outs of ethnic Hispanic and limited English proficient students. Only with a better picture of the real story, can policy makers and the public make better decisions regarding all of our students in our State, not just some.

We need to accept Hispanic kids and provide them opportunities to succeed. Some people think it is OK to let them fail, but society is creating a long-term problem with long-term costs. An engaged citizen is a more productive citizen.

This trend will be especially costly when forecasts show this demographic to have the largest growth in population for Utah.

Pay now or pay later, but we will pay the price for this disparity.

Doesn't this stress the importance of proficiency in English? We need to make every effort possible to teach English to those that lack the skill. Not only does not being proficient in English make graduation from High School more difficult, it makes life in the United States more difficult. The need to speak English, and speak it well, is paramount.

I agree with Jill. But what I have seen is that even the ones who gradutate, don't really know the rules of basic English. After watching a few hours of televison, it is obvious the writers don't understand English grammer. The audiance picks up on what they hear on TV and in movies. English in the US is so bad for a modern, literate country.

The schools need to teach ALL students English grammer. How can non English speaking students learn English well, when the schools fail at teaching English speaking students???

This problem stems from the current infatuation with bilingual education.

Almost everyone, including an overwhelming majority of the immigrants themselves, recognizes that proficiency in English is critical to long-term economic success. Yet we as a society continue to support the failed policies of bilingual education and multiculturalism in our public schools. Why?

It is estimated that there are currently more people in China studying English than there are Americans. Only a fraction of that amount are studying Spanish. People throughout the world recognize English as the de facto universal language.

When will the Education Establishment do the same?

While English proficiency is most likely a large contributor to the lower rate, there are other factors that likely play a large role.

1. Alternatives to school. If working the construction industry or family business doesn't require a high school diploma then why bother? (from the student's and possibly parents point of view)

2. Stability. If the family is going back and forth between countries it makes it hard to finish classes.

3. Parental education level. Dad is doing ok providing without a HS diploma...

I could see a lot of effort being wasted trying to "fix" the low rates when the schools really have limited control over many of the factors that influence immigrant graduation rates. Not that it's not worth trying to address the factors they do have some control over.

For those who are interested, here's how Utah compares to the nation:

"Each year, almost one third of all public high school studentsand one half of all blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americansfail to graduate from public high school."

The source is "The Silent Epidemic: Perspectives of High School Dropouts." For those who want to be truly enlightened as to the complexities of the problem, this is a good read.

While schools can and should do more to help, this is a problem with roots beyond what happens in a classroom.

As a high school English teacher, and an instructor of English as a second language (ESL), I see unmotivated and disinterested students every day. It takes a continual effort to excite them and make learning relevant and rigorous.

In addition to their limited proficiency in English, many ESL students arrive at school lacking basic academic skills and content knowledge in their first language. They must meet standards in a foreign language that they could not meet in their first language. They are hamstrung in various ways.

To get a comprehensive understanding of the problem, I invite you to step into a classroom in your local school.

The Education establishment bows to legislative and peer pressure.

"We need to accept Hispanic kids and provide them opportunities to succeed."
They have the same opportunities as any other ethnic group amongst their peers. If they choose not to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them, then they're creating their own problems. Schools cannot force them to learn. One of the main problems facing Hispanics is their (generally speaking) propensity to try to remake their environment to be just like "home" rather than try to assimilate into the U.S. culture. This mindset that *some* Hispanics have does nothing to help their children excell in school. School then becomes an opportunity wasted.

Forget race, forget gender. The only stat I want to see is the graduation rate of U.S. Citizens.

This is a cultural issue more than it is a language issue. I'm not sure of the solution method, but the importance of a diploma must be realized by the parents, in addition to the engagement by the parents.

Re: Mr. Uno
Run on sentences are difficult to understand and your first sentence is a whopper! Are you writing as a committee chair or as a private citizen?

I hope the instruction our English students receive includes good writing techniques.

Notice the article states that they rate is 69% of the senior class.

What is not being stated is the graduation rate starting with the ninth through twelfth grade. How many of those students actually graduate? I'm willing to bet the percentage is no where near 69%. There is a family in my neighborhood where four of five children are drop outs. And the fifth is probably on her way, too. Having children at age 15 or 16 seems to be the gravy welfare train for them, so there is no incentive to stay in school.

Si se puede, folks.

To stereotype minorities: as a rule, those we lose are more interested in the baggy pants, the sideways caps, the gangsta look and life-style, and the bling. I know it's old fashioned to have standards, but it didn't hurt the greatest generation ever (those in their 80s now). We've come a long way. I'm not sure it's where we should be. Let's set standards, and make PARENTS accountable for their kids staying in school. What's the alternative? If we continue with the more govt. policies, what's going to improve? SI!!! Se puede!

Please notice how these rates are calculated beginning in the 10th grade. One can argue this is necessary because many high schools in the state start at the 10th grade. That said, it is well documented that the highest dropout rate occurs between the ninth grade and start of the 10th grade year. Unfortunately, the real numbers are significantly worse than those reported.