1 in 10 schools are 'dropout factories'

[nhboy]

"WASHINGTON — It's a nickname no principal could be proud of: "Dropout Factory," a high school where no more than 60% of the students who start as freshmen make it to their senior year. That dubious distinction applies to more than one in 10 high schools across America.

"If you're born in a neighborhood or town where the only high school is one where graduation is not the norm, how is this living in the land of equal opportunity?" asks Bob Balfanz, the researcher at Johns Hopkins University who defines such a school as a "dropout factory."

1 in 10 schools are 'dropout factories' - USATODAY.com

 

[ImnoMensa]

The education is there for these kids. Its a good education. The teachers are qualified and the subjects are good. If the students dont want to learn ,is that the fault of the system or the student.

"If you're born in a neighborhood or town where the only high school is one where graduation is not the norm, how is this living in the land of equal opportunity?" asks Bob Balfanz, the researcher at Johns Hopkins University who defines such a school as a "dropout factory."

The opportunity to learn is there for the student, what would Bob balfanz have us do? Move all these students from their neighborhood? Who's fault is it they are born in such a neighborhood? I feel no guilt for that. I worked hard to stay out of those neighborhoods. Maybe he feels we should graduate students just because they are born to that bad neighborhood.

In short IMO it isnt the schools that are bad ,but the students who fail to be able to comprehend the fact that if you are uneducated you are a dead duck in today's society.
Perhaps it is the parents of these children's fault for not pointing this out.

But no: Its easy to just say its the school's fault and start throwing more money in the school's and ignore the underlying problem.

 

[~mellabella~]

There is a serious attitude of "I don't care coming from two parties in this situation. The students don't care if they pass, and the parents don't care enough about their children to do just a little bit of follow up work! Now, this doesn't go for all students/parents, but it does seem to be a growing trend. IMO, I think when children start failing consistently, its the parents neglect that makes it that much worse.

 

[RadioPatrol]

Glen Beck did this story a couple days ago ....... the only state that isnt a DF is Utah - one with a great Voucher Program, that you guessed it, the Teachers Unions are trying to get struck down .........

 

[aps45819]

The students don't care if they pass.

In St.Mary's they're passed every year till they get to high school. When my daughter was passed from 7th to 8th grade with a report card full of Ds and Fs, I raised hell with the school, all I got was "it was policy" When she got to high school she was expected to perform based on the knowledge she allegedly received. Of course she failed.

 

[Pete]

"If you're born in a neighborhood or town where the only high school is one where graduation is not the norm, how is this living in the land of equal opportunity?" asks Bob Balfanz, the researcher at Johns Hopkins University who defines such a school as a "dropout factory."

This statement alone makes this story totally not worth reading. The school is there, the teachers are there, they teach 5 days a week, there is help available for those who want to know but don't get it.

Tha is your opportunity. End of story. How is the school you go to with a 60
% drop out rate not an opportunity? It is not like they kick you out.

 

[godsbutterfly]

In St.Mary's they're passed every year till they get to high school. When my daughter was passed from 7th to 8th grade with a report card full of Ds and Fs, I raised hell with the school, all I got was "it was policy" When she got to high school she was expected to perform based on the knowledge she allegedly received. Of course she failed.

You have got to be kidding me! I was not aware of that. I just remarried in February and now I have two stepchildren in the St. Mary's Public School System. One has an IEP teacher so his work is pretty closely monitored but I was wondering how my stepdaughter kept getting A's with abominable spelling and punctuation. This is the first year that the teacher seems to be cracking down on her for that (Thank goodness since she is in an Honors English class!) but I had started monitoring it before that because I had always done that with my own children. It's kind of late when they get to high school to suddenly expect them to go back to basics!

 

[~mellabella~]

In St.Mary's they're passed every year till they get to high school. When my daughter was passed from 7th to 8th grade with a report card full of Ds and Fs, I raised hell with the school, all I got was "it was policy" When she got to high school she was expected to perform based on the knowledge she allegedly received. Of course she failed.

And we wonder why the future of America looks so grim??

 

[kwillia]

There is a serious attitude of "I don't care coming from two parties in this situation. The students don't care if they pass, and the parents don't care enough about their children to do just a little bit of follow up work! Now, this doesn't go for all students/parents, but it does seem to be a growing trend. IMO, I think when children start failing consistently, its the parents neglect that makes it that much worse.

My 15 year old son was talking about this just a couple hours ago. The conversation started when he mentioned that he'd be getting his driver's license next year and I told him, "Not necessarily. We'll have to see." He replied, "Ya know. I like when I get in trouble or put on restriction. It let's me know you and Dad care. There are a lot of kids in school that get constant referrals and are failing all classes and they think it's no big deal. I as them what their parents say and they say there parents don't care. They know they have to do the grade over again next year but to them it's no big deal because they plan to drop out when they turn 16."

These are the upcoming soon to be adults in our society. Scares the hell out of me.

 

[nhboy]

"Ya know. I like when I get in trouble or put on restriction. It let's me know you and Dad care. There are a lot of kids in school that get constant referrals and are failing all classes and they think it's no big deal. I as them what their parents say and they say there parents don't care. They know they have to do the grade over again next year but to them it's no big deal because they plan to drop out when they turn 16."

Wow, he said that? You must feel a lot of pride in that boy. Sounds like college material to me. Congratulations!

 

[~mellabella~]

My 15 year old son was talking about this just a couple hours ago. The conversation started when he mentioned that he'd be getting his driver's license next year and I told him, "Not necessarily. We'll have to see." He replied, "Ya know. I like when I get in trouble or put on restriction. It let's me know you and Dad care. There are a lot of kids in school that get constant referrals and are failing all classes and they think it's no big deal. I as them what their parents say and they say there parents don't care. They know they have to do the grade over again next year but to them it's no big deal because they plan to drop out when they turn 16."

These are the upcoming soon to be adults in our society. Scares the hell out of me.

It upsets me when I see kids just a few years younger then me failing in school. I graduated in '06. Not that long ago, right? Well, even since then the attitude of 'who cares' has gotten worse. I didn't like all of my classes, and yeah, there were a lot of times when I didn't want to be at school. But I went and did my best anyways. Why? Because that is what I was taught to do. Always do your best. If that wasn't instilled in me while I was growing up, then i probably would be just another statistic posted on a forum. A lot of kids agree with your 15 yr old's thinking. If only more parents would open their eyes to that.

 

[kwillia]

It upsets me when I see kids just a few years younger then me failing in school. I graduated in '06. Not that long ago, right? Well, even since then the attitude of 'who cares' has gotten worse. I didn't like all of my classes, and yeah, there were a lot of times when I didn't want to be at school. But I went and did my best anyways. Why? Because that is what I was taught to do. Always do your best. If that wasn't instilled in me while I was growing up, then i probably would be just another statistic posted on a forum. A lot of kids agree with your 15 yr old's thinking. If only more parents would open their eyes to that.

The next part of the conversation was back on driving. He's been told he can't even go for his learner's permit unless he meets criteria that has been laid out to him for years. He proceeded to talk about the kids he knows that are failing and or have dropped out and those kids parents go on to buy them cars, pay for their insurance and fuel their vehicles while the kids do nothing constructive. He can't understand it. Neither can I.

 

[Nicole_in_somd]

It upsets me when I see kids just a few years younger then me failing in school. I graduated in '06. Not that long ago, right? Well, even since then the attitude of 'who cares' has gotten worse. I didn't like all of my classes, and yeah, there were a lot of times when I didn't want to be at school. But I went and did my best anyways. Why? Because that is what I was taught to do. Always do your best. If that wasn't instilled in me while I was growing up, then i probably would be just another statistic posted on a forum. A lot of kids agree with your 15 yr old's thinking. If only more parents would open their eyes to that.

My friends daughter dropped out of HS. She failed the 9th grade 4 times then just dropped out. 4 times mainly because of attendance and lack of participation. now she sits at home on her ass all day and sleep then parties at night. Sad. Her parents let her do it.

 

[godsbutterfly]

My friends daughter dropped out of HS. She failed the 9th grade 4 times then just dropped out. 4 times mainly because of attendance and lack of participation. now she sits at home on her ass all day and sleep then parties at night. Sad. Her parents let her do it.

Yeah and her parents need to be up on child neglect charges but I don't know if they could be. Does Maryland have Truant Officers who go to the houses? In Virginia parents can be fined and jailed if their kids miss too much school! That's one way to get the parents involved. Pathetic to have to go to that extreme when it should be done with love to teach your children the value of a good education and how to take pride in themselves and in doing their best at everything they do because it represents them.

 

[Nicole_in_somd]

Yeah and her parents need to be up on child neglect charges but I don't know if they could be. Does Maryland have Truant Officers who go to the houses? In Virginia parents can be fined and jailed if their kids miss too much school! That's one way to get the parents involved. Pathetic to have to go to that extreme when it should be done with love to teach your children the value of a good education and how to take pride in themselves and in doing their best at everything they do because it represents them.

she is past the age of 16 so the school I guess could not do anything. It is a shame. She is going to have a tough time trying to find a decent job without a HS education.