Post 5

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/learning-the-language/graduation-rates/

This post is in response to the article, Learning the Language: What’s a Remarkable Grad Rate? for Latinos? For ELLs?, in Education Week August 6, 2009. The author warns that we shouldn’t be excited about the 17 percent decrease in the dropout rate in Los Angeles in one year because the dropout rate for Los Angeles schools is 26.4 percent. Which means, there is a 5.3 percent reduction in the number of drop outs. Moreover, Valley High School in las Vegas was named “high-achieving” for its graduation rate of 55 percent. And, in Brownsville, Texas, the graduation rate is 53 percent for Latinos, and 27 percent for ELLs. Therefore, the following question was raised: What would be considered a commendable graduation rate for a school with a high number of Latinos and ELLs? I recently spoke with a high school teacher in the Edgewood District. When I visited there were only five students in the class. She informed me that 100 of the seniors had dropped out during the 2009-2010 academic year to date. My jaw dropped to the floor in shock. This is troubling information. We as a society need to do provide better educational opportunities for our minority population.