Even as Florida's overall enrollment dropped last year, the number of high school students earning regular diplomas rose by 4.42 percent while the number of dropouts declined by 24.4 percent, according to newly released statistics.
In raw numbers, that's 11,508 fewer students who dropped out in 2007-08 than the year before, and 6,019 more students who graduated from high school. Also, the state had 26,947 fewer students who were retained in 2007-08 than in 2006-07.
Locally, the numbers looked like this (change in graduates, dropouts and retentions):
- Pinellas: 4.92 percent; -40.77 percent; -20.5 percent
- Hernando: 7.41 percent, -11.79 percent; 3.92 percent
- Hillsborough: 3.01 percent, -6.28 percent; -9.66 percent
- Pasco: 10.65 percent; -38.56 percent; 8.12 percent
To see the complete spreadsheets, click on the links: dropout data, graduates data and non-promotions data.
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Get inside the world of Florida education with St. Petersburg Times staff writer Jeffrey S. Solochek and the rest of the Times education reporting team. We'll bring you up-to-date information about the latest education trends, fads and news and dig deep into Tampa Bay area school issues.
You may not need Terminator to stink it up because I can. Remember how the Writing test was eliminated from the need for graduation??? Lowering the bar will always produce better data. There should be multiple meaningful diploma types since not all can be proficiency unless you ride your unicorn over the rainbow to play with the fairies.
Posted by: | November 14, 2008 at 06:33 AM
Pinellas will continue to lead the way in drop outs because of their vocational program is about 20 years behind.
Posted by: Rob | November 13, 2008 at 02:01 PM
This smells a lot like success. How can terminator stink it up? Wait . . . we'll find out.
Posted by: | November 13, 2008 at 01:35 PM