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Tuesday, June 09, 2009

UPDATED: New Mexico Ranks 48th for High School Graduation Rate

By Heather Clark
Associated Press
      Fewer than six in 10 students graduated from New Mexico's high schools in 2006, giving the state a rank of 48th in the nation for high-school graduation rates, according to a report released Tuesday.
    Education Week's "Diplomas Count" report found New Mexico's graduation rate was 56 percent for the class of 2006. The study also showed an average of 73 students dropped out each school day.
    The state ranked ahead of Georgia (55.9 percent), the District of Columbia (48.8 percent) and Nevada (47.3 percent). The national graduation rate was 69.2 percent.
    The state Public Education Department said the report showed a slight improvement over the class of 2005, when New Mexico ranked 50th nationwide at 54.1 percent.
    The state Secretary of Education Veronica Garcia said in a release that the progress was "good" but pointed out that the low rate meant "far too many of our children take too long or fail to graduate from high school."
    Garcia said in an interview that the state needed to be more aggressive in decreasing the dropout rate, for example, by making sure students can read and write by third grade so that they're on track with the skills they'll need in high school.
    New Mexico has long struggled with an achievement gap between white and minority students, and graduation rates are no exception. Nearly 68 percent of whites graduated in 2006, while only 51.6 percent of Hispanic students and 49.5 percent of American Indian students graduated.
    New Mexican girls were more likely to graduate from high school than male students. More than 61 percent of girls finished with the class of 2006, compared with only 53 percent of boys, the report said.
    Since 1996, New Mexico's graduation rate peaked at 62.4 percent in 2002 and then fell to an 11-year low to 54.1 percent in 2005, the report said. The state is among 24 in the country that require students to pass a statewide assessment before they can earn a high school diploma.
    The state also requires 23 credits in math, language arts, science, history, social studies and other classes to graduate, the report said. The national average credit requirement is 20.7 credits.
    New Mexico's goal was to have a graduation rate of 90 percent for the 2008-2009 school year and a rate of 100 percent by the 2013-2014 school year.
    Garcia said the state's school curriculum was changing to keep students engaged.
    "You'd be more inclined to stay in high school if you find something that is relevant and more like what you want to do," she said, adding that students can now earn industry-related certificates and professional licenses in school.
    The state has "to figure out how to make high school a place where kids can be successful," Garcia said.
    Christine Trujillo, president of the American Federation of Teachers New Mexico, said schools need to provide classes in music and art and programs in middle school that teach students about different jobs or industries.
    Trujillo, herself a high school dropout who eventually became a teacher, said, "The things that kept kids engaged for me was the fact that I provided them with lots of broad opportunities."
    Trujillo also said more funding is needed for guidance counselors, who can intervene with students at risk of dropping out of high school.
    "You go to any high school or any middle school in town and we have one counselor for 500 kids," she said, referring to Albuquerque.
   

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