Dropout prevention programs in public schools: 2010-11

A joint report from NCES and IES provides "national data about how public school districts identify students at risk of dropping out, programs used specifically to address the needs of students at risk of dropping out of school, the use of mentors for at-risk students, and efforts to encourage dropouts to return to school."
"The estimates presented in this report are based on a district survey about dropout prevention services and programs offered by the district or by any of the schools in the district during the 2010–11 school year."
The full report is linked here: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011037

HS Transcript data

Not sure if this data set will help with anyone's current and/or future research, but thought I would make the link available.
"The NAEP Data Explorer for the High School Transcript Study database now provides more information on the coursetaking patterns of high school graduates. Users can access the data and create statistical tables and charts on the types of courses students take, credits earned, grade point averages, the relationship between coursetaking patterns and achievement on NAEP assessments, and performance on other assessments."
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/hstsdata/

Longitudinal data on HS graduation & dropout rates

Nevada still tops the list--of lowest graduation rates (51.3%). Wisconsin must be doing something right since they graduate 89.6% of their students. Data from NCES covers the period 1978-2008 and is also broken down by race/ethnicity, sex and age. Overall, "approximately 3 million 16- through 24-year-olds were not enrolled in high school and had not earned a high school diploma or alternative credential as of October 2008, [representing] 8 percent of the 38 million non-institutionalized, civilian individuals in this age group living in the United States..." Highest dropout rates continue to be among Hispanic Americans while Asian Americans and students of more than one race have the lowest rates. Full report is here:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2011012

New study on bullying in high schools

According to the press release, "... a new study by the Josephson Institute of Ethics (the largest ever undertaken of the attitudes and conduct of high school students), [shows that] half of all high school students (50 percent) admit they bullied someone in the past year, and nearly half (47 percent) say they were bullied, teased, or taunted in a way that seriously upset them in the past year. The study reports the responses from 43,321 high school students. The margin of error is less than 1%." The Internet is cited as a factor in increasing the frequency and severity of bullying. 

2007-2008 Data on HS Graduation Rates

This newest data from NCES shows Nevada with the lowest high school graduation rate in the nation: 51%. Tthe only other jurisdiction with a graduation rate in the 50's is Washington, D.C. at 56%.

"Nationwide, 75 percent of public high school students who started as freshmen in the fall of 2004 graduated high school in 2008—up from 74 percent who graduated on time in the spring of 2007.

This First Look presents findings associated with public high school graduation and event dropout counts for the 2007–08 school year. These data were collected as part of the Common Core of Data (CCD), a universe survey of public schools operating in the United States and associated other jurisdictions by the National Center for Education Statistics."
To view the full report please visit
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2010341

Helping high school students get to college

A California based project which linked high school students with college student mentors saw small but significant increases in the number of students taking the SAT, completing applications for financial aid, getting grants and scholarships and enrolling in college. Their results are equivalent to those found from the Upward Bound program but at approximately one-fourth of the cost. Brief description of the project is in this Education Week blog: Inside School Research

High graduation rates' impact on urban economies

Detailed report with lots of data, charts and graphs clearly demonstrates the high cost of failing to graduate a substantial percentage of our students. The data are unfortunately about 4-5 years old, but still useful for making the case that drop out rates deserve serious attention, especially in these economic times. Las Vegas is of course among the 50 largest cities included in this study. The full report is here. A brief overview is here.

New report from NCES on HS graduation and dropout rates

"High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States: 2007"
includes national and regional population estimates for the percentage of students who dropped out of high school between 2006 and 2007, the percentage of young people who were dropouts in 2007, and the percentage of young people who were not in high school and had some form of high school credential in 2007.

Annual data from 1972-2007 reveals trends by race, gender, income and other characteristics. State, regional and national level data is provided.
To view the full report please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009064

Longitudinal data on late high school dropouts from NCES

It appears we are disproportionately failing to graduate those students already most disadvantaged. From the report summary...

"....presents information about selected characteristics and experiences of high school sophomores in 2002 who subsequently dropped out of school. It also presents comparative data about late high school dropouts in the years 1982, 1992, and 2004. The findings only address dropping out in late high school and do not cover students who dropped out before the spring of 10th grade. For this reason, the reported rates are lower than those based on the students' entire high school or earlier school career. Key findings include the following:

* Forty-eight percent of all late high school dropouts come from families in the lowest quarter (bottom 25 percent) of the socioeconomic status distribution, and 77 percent of late high school dropouts come from the lowest half of the socioeconomic status distribution.

* Most late high school dropouts (83 percent) listed a school-related (versus a family- or employment-related) reason for leaving. These reasons included missing too many school days, thinking it would be easier to get a GED, getting poor grades, and not liking school.

* The overall late high school dropout rate was lower in 2004 than in 1982 (7 percent versus 11 percent, respectively) and lower in 1992 than in 1982 (6 percent versus 11 percent), but it showed no statistically significant difference in 2004 compared with 1992."

To view, download and print the report as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2009307

The importance of middle school for college readiness

New research by ACT shows "the level of academic achievement that students attain by eighth grade has a larger impact on their college and career readiness by the time they graduate from high school than anything that happens academically in high school." The lack of college readiness, as assessed by ACT's three-stage assessment, is "alarming":

• Only 20% of tested high school grads were ready for entry-level college courses in the four areas of biology, social science, English composition and college algebra
• 25% of tested students were not prepared for entry-level college courses in any of the four subject areas.
• Less than 20% of tested eighth graders were on target to be college-ready by the time they graduate.

"This report also reveals that students’ academic readiness for college and career can be improved when students develop behaviors in the upper elementary grades and in middle school that are known to contribute to successful academic performance."