Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

Local News

Discussion

June 17, 2010

Schools eye ways to keep potential dropouts in

By KATE COIL Bluefield Daily Telegraph

PRINCETON — Amid a recent study proclaiming a “national dropout crisis,” local school officials say they are working to implement programs that would keep more students in school.

According to a study released in May by the Center of Labor Market Statistics, the U.S. has reached a record number of high school droupouts. The study found that more than 6.2 million students between the ages of 16 and 24 dropped out of high school in 2009 with 7,200 students dropping out of school daily. According to the center, this high rate of dropouts cost the U.S. economy $150 billion last year.

West Virginia remains above the national average, though it was not one of the seven highest states targeted by the study. According to the National Bureau for Education statistics, West Virginia’s dropout rate remains at 23.1 percent of students, while the national average is at 16 percent.

A three-year average by the Alliance for Education recorded the dropout rates of high schools in Mercer, McDowell, and Monroe counties. James Monroe High School in Monroe County had the highest graduation rate of all three counties with 84 percent.

In McDowell County, the highest graduation rate is at Mount View and Iaeger high schools, which have an 80 percent rate over three years. Big Creek High School only had a 67 percent graduation rate.

In Mercer County, Princeton and PikeView high schools took the lead with 72 percent graduation rates, Bluefield High School follows with a 69 percent graduation rate, while Montcalm has only a 67 percent graduation rate.

However, according to Kellan Sarles, information specialist with the Mercer County Board of Education, graduation rates and dropout rates are not mutually exclusive. She said Mercer County had a 3.4 percent dropout rate during the 2008-2009 school year compared with a 3.5 percent dropout rate in the 2008-2009 school year.

“There are lots of measurements of dropout rates,” Sarles said. “We are, of course, concerned about any student who is considering dropping out of high school. Unfortunately, we can’t prevent every student from dropping out of school.”

The size of a county is one factor in determining dropout rates.

“It seems that larger counties have high rates of not completing high school, and we are the eighth largest county in the state,” Sarles said.

According to Sarles, the biggest reason for students dropping out of school is the student believing they have missed too much school to keep up.

“For sure, the reason most often cited by students is that they’ve missed so much school they cannot keep up,” Sarles said. “That is often a red flag. Other reasons are the perception they were failing some or all of their classes, having personal conflicts with teachers or other students, or disliked the school’s rules, schedules and expectations.”

Sarles said even though pregnancy and family care responsibilities are usually believed to be the highest cause of dropouts, those concerns are not among the top reasons students drop out of school.

Mercer County has begun implementing several programs to curb the dropout rate, according to Sarles.

“We instituted a program where counselors try to intervene with dropouts,” Sarles said. “We know some of the primary reasons students drop out and we calculate their remaining credits so we can try to talk those students into continuing their education.”

Among the programs the school offers are Second Chance, a weekend program where students can recover unearned credits. Another program is the Plato computer software, which allows students to turn in assignments and complete their core curriculum.

“All of the four high schools offer some sort of credit recovery program during the year,” Sarles said.

Another popular alternative is recovering credits during summer school, which will be starting on Tuesday, June 22.

Sarles said having an adult mentor or exploring other education options are ways to encourage students to stay in school.

“An adult mentor can suggest some lifestyle changes, some things that can put students on the right track,” Sarles said. “We also encourage students to attend vocational schools for more hands-on, applied learning. We find many students who don’t enjoy the traditional high school environment enjoy vocational schools.”

According to Sarles, having a niche or sense of belonging in school can also encourage students to continue with their education.

“It is very important for high school students to have a niche, whether it’s band, a club, cheerleading or a sport,” Sarles said. “Often, it’s that advisor who keeps students on track and can tell when things aren’t going right.”

Overall, Sarles believes students who are considering dropping out of school should talk with a trusted adult before making the decision.

“Certainly, talk to a trusted adult or mentor at the school first,” Sarles said. “Let someone know a student is considering that option. Sometimes, the little steps can make a big difference.”

— Contact Kate Coil at kcoil@bdtonline.com

Text Only
Local News