Sunday, November 04, 2007

'Dropout factory' unacceptable

This Editorial from the State-Journal.

We're certain it came as a shock to parents to read that Franklin County High School is one of 28 high schools in Kentucky labeled a "dropout factory" by the Associated Press based on FCHS's failure to retain and graduate most of its entering freshmen.

...Over a three-year period " 2004-2006 " FCHS had a retention rate of only 60 percent, which translates into only 60 percent of entering freshmen went on to graduate four years later.

That's simply shocking " and wholly unacceptable.

Even given that some of those entering freshmen may have moved to other cities and schools in the period, when three out of 10 freshmen don't graduate, clearly action must be taken. And to its credit, the county school system has taken action to address this shocking statistic...

...But how did FCHS become a "dropout factory" in the first place while Western Hills and Frankfort High School did not? That's a question school board members and top administrators need to answer to avoid the same retention problems from spreading.

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