June 24, 2007 - The Boston Globe reports on dropout rates in the state. In Boston, the dropout rate is 3%. The highest dropout rate in the state is in Brockton where 7% drop out. Interestingly, however, students aren't dropping out because of standardized testing.
Particularly frustrating to state Education Commissioner David P. Driscoll is the number of high school seniors giving up, even though they passed the standardized test known as MCAS, which is a statewide graduation requirement.The best explanation was given by Stephen Sangster, principal of Rockland High School.
Across the state, more than 65 percent of the 2,584 high school seniors who dropped out last year passed the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System. Comparable figures for the region south of Boston were not immediately available.
Also see - The Annie E. Casey Foundation reports on dropout rates in all states. This interactive chart allows you to see dropout percentage rates for each state. However, percentages are less meaningful than the number of dropouts."The reason may be that parent investment has helped students make some real good choices," said Stephen Sangster, principal of Rockland High School, where the rate has dropped from 4.1 percent three years ago to 2.8 percent last year.
"A lot of time students decide not to continue with education because they are not finding the success they want and parents don't have the strong influence to help them bear through ."
Child Trends databank reports that "Hispanics accounted for 40 percent of all high school dropouts in 2004. However, they only made up 17 percent of the total youth population." Graph
