LAUSD 2nd worst HS grad rate in US; CA ranks 41st among states

California graduation rates are starting to plummet, as the rest of the nation is slowly seeing an increase.

Education Week presents this online map which illustrates graduation rates around the country. Using 2007 data--the most current available--California ranks 41st in the nation with a high school graduation rate of 62.7%, nearly 10% lower than the 2002 level of 71.3%. 

In a comparison three of the state’s top districts, Los Angeles Unified, Fresno Unified, and San Diego Unified, have graduation rates below the state average, with LAUSD winding up with the second worst graduation rate in the nation at 40.6%.  

Dan Walters, columnist for the Sacramento Bee, points out two major factors in California’s struggle to graduate high school seniors; first, the diverse ethnic mix throughout the state, including children of immigrants who may not speak English as well as their peers. Second, the states miserable budget situation, which continues to see less than sufficient financing for education. 

Education Week’s data comes from the Education Research Center; the ERC calculates graduation rates for the nation, state, and every public school district in the country using the Cumulative Promotion Index (CPI) method and data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data (CCD).

Comments

[Brian Kratovil]

Democrats succeed again with their strong support of illegal immigration and massive, unaccountable public sector unions.

[Trident Online University]

A graduation rate of 62 percent is abysmal. I am a resident of Ca in fact and I had no idea that the graduation level was so low; a 62 percent is a score of a D; almost an F. It's hard because CA has a budget deficit but something needs to be done to help students graduate.

[I Blame the Parents]

What is the graduation rate for Asian immigrants, who may also have language difficulties? Much higher, I suspect.

The Mexican immigrant underclass does not place a high value on education. Why stay in school when one could be working?

[Ro Lar]

This information has to make every Republican smile with joy. Their mentality of schools don't need money to prosper is front and formost in their little minds view of the world. But if a giant corp. wants another tax break by all means they want to jump on 'can I have some money for my campaign' bandwagon and give it to them.
If Republicans hate it here so much why don't they leave. It's a state for everyone not just for the well off.

[Sue Favor]

Hi there,

Do you have a link that lists all the nation's school districts and rate of dropout? I am researching and could use any help you could offer.

Thanks,

Sue

[Wendy Lestina]

Hi,Sue:
The only place we can suggest is the National Center on Education Statistics. I'd give their media folks a call and see if they know where to find county-by-county data. All we could find on the site was state by state (there's a lot of good info there). http://nces.ed.gov/
All best.

[John Keligsman]

The low graduation rate for LAUSD is only half the story. I've taught high school students in the central LA area and many of those who do graduate have actually learned little in high school. Most teachers pass their students even if the students' performance is poor in order to avoid conflict with their school's administrators --who want as high a graduation rate as possible to show THEIR bosses downtown that they're "doing a good job." A teacher with a low pass rate is considered to be an ineffective teacher even if his or her colleague down hall is doing a worse job but passing the students.