School Beat: A New Look at Dropout and Graduation Rates

Thursday, January 10, 2008 : How well our schools are working for our kids can be measured in a number of ways, but perhaps one of the most oddly elusive is with dropout rates, or its happier converse, graduation rates. At first glance, dropout rates would seem to be the most easily captured indicator of success or failure. After all, what could be simpler than comparing the size of a class when it enters 9th grade and when it departs at the end of the 12th grade? But the reality is not so simple, as students transfer in and out of schools, are held back, or complete the years in school without meeting all of the requirements.