SDOC Dropout Rate decreasing

The South Carolina Department of Education reports that the state high school dropout rate declined for the fourth straight year. The department announces that 5,232 high school students dropped out in the 2011-2012 federal fiscal year. That is nearly 670 fewer students than a year earlier and 2,800 fewer than in 2007-08. Oconee County Schools Superintendent Dr. Mike Lucas gives the dropout figures for the School District of Oconee County.  “First thing I would like to say is that it is a positive trend to see the number of children dropping out going down, however, if we loose any child that is too many.  I will caution you that the dropout rate is kind of the kids who disappear from the system and it can be misleading.  For instance, our dropout rate is 2.5% of enrollment.  Those are kids you age out, who are 21 years old and have to drop out or kids who have dropped out who are 17 who just do not come to school anymore; I call it the disappearing kids.  It is somewhat deceptive because the graduation rate is a better indicator; our graduation rate is about 80%.  Therefore, when you see that 2.5% you think that is not many kids disappearing but really, what it translates to is in four years roughly 80% of our kids receive a high school diploma, so we do have about 20% of our kids who are not successful in the four years.  Some take a little longer, but I would caution you that this is just one report.  Again, it is good that the trend is declining but what I would say is that as long as we have 1% it is too many.” Dr. Lucas encourages students who have dropped out of school for whatever reason to continue pursuing that high school diploma.  “There are several things they can do.  First, life sometimes causes kids to dropout, they will have family experiences or other situations that do and I would say contact your guidance counselor.  We have a program with Tri-County Technical College where kids can work on their GED, their high school diploma and their associate’s degree all at the same time.  We have adult education, but kids can go back and be in regular school until they turn 21.  So, if a kid gave up, I would go and speak to the guidance department and find out what is the best way I can get a GED or finish my diploma.” In the 2008-2009 year, the School District of Oconee County recorded a dropout rate of 137 students or 4.3% and for 2011-12 it was 2.5%. The year-to-year dropout rate is different from the graduation rate. The dropout rate reflects how many teens officially withdrew over a federal fiscal year or became too old to return. Students can legally drop out at age 17. They cannot stay in school past age 21. The dropout rate declined in 51 of the state’s 85 school districts, according to the Education Department.