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Securing the Future
Sept. 1, 2001
The district's dropout rate for last year fell significantly to its lowest point in the past six years. That number decreased to 5.65% for the 2000-2001 school year; that number is down from 7.5% the year before and 8.1% in 1998-1999. In fact, the lowest rate in the previous six years was 7.3% in 1996-1997. This could not have been accomplished without the hard work and dedication of teachers, counselors and principals at building throughout the district.
Reducing the dropout rate has been identified as one of the Board of Education's specific goals, and several changes are underway that will insure the number of students dropping out declines even further. Prior to the 2001-2002 school year, Superintendent Jack Ernst reorganized several existing programs into the Office of Student Support Services. These programs include counseling, attendance, health services, minority affairs and the Safe and Drug Free program. Student Support Services will be working closely with the schools to reach out to students not meeting the basics and help make sure that they do not simply fall through the cracks.
The district's accountability plan will also be an important means for reducing the dropout rate. As part of the plan, each school in the district will be developing their own dropout reduction strategies that will be a part of their School Improvement Plan.
The district also maintains a dropout hotline number for students that might be thinking about dropping out of school. That number is 864-2903.