Student dropout rates decline statewide in most districts

SNOW HILL — Without Greene Central High School’s new credit recovery program — called the “Twilight Program” — students like Andrea Thaggard and Terica Clovis would likely not be able to graduate with their class on time. They might even consider dropping out from school altogether from discouragement because they are behind academically.

Instead, both Thaggard and Clovis have decided to stay in school and take several classes again that they failed at Greene Central in a previous semester.

Greene County Schools officials attributed their dropout prevention efforts with reducing the district’s overall student dropout rate substantially last school year to the Twilight Program.

“We really worked hard to reduce the number,” Superintendent Patrick Miller said. “We just started our new twilight school program this year. The program offers students the ability to recover credits and graduate on time.”

Greene Central High School hosts the new program, which is also offered at other schools statewide. Juniors and seniors attend the program from 3 to 6 p.m. everyday after school to improve their grades. All of the credit recovery programs are conducted online through the students’ school-issued laptop programs.

“I never really thought about dropping out of school,” Thaggard said. “I have gotten tired of school but never got to the point of wanting to drop out.”

Thaggard, 16, a junior, is one of several students enrolled in the twilight program at Greene Central and is working to improve her biology class grade.

Clovis, 18, a senior, also participates in the program. For the past three weeks, Clovis has worked to improve her geometry class grade.

“I failed geometry last semester,” Clovis said. “The program helps me get my credit back and graduate with my class.”

Antonio Blow, Greene County Schools director of student services, said this week that the school’s efforts to reduce the dropout rate are working but more needs to be done.

“Our overall goal in five years is to have fewer than 10 student dropouts a year,” Blow said. “We are well on our way.”

Based on the latest figures from the state Department of Public Instruction, Greene and Jones County Schools were able to push their student dropout rates lower last year, as compared to the 2007-2008 school year.

Meanwhile, Lenoir County Schools’ dropout rate increased during the same period with 144 total student dropouts during the 2007-2008 school year, followed by 186 total student dropouts during the 2008-2009 school year.

“It greatly concerns me that any student drops out of school,” Lenoir County Schools Superintendent Terry Cline said. “We have a responsibility to educate all children and engage them in the learning process.”

Statewide, there were 19,184 student dropouts in grades 9 -12 during the 2008 – 2009 school year with 45 student dropouts in Greene County Schools and 18 student dropouts in Jones County Schools.

Jones County’s number of dropouts dropped slightly from the previous year with Greene seeing the highest reduction in its dropout rate among local school districts.

“At Jones Senior we are, of course, pleased with the decrease in our dropout rate,” Jones Senior Principal Pascal Mubenga said. “Many students that are counted as a dropout from our school are actually leaving high school to attend a community college in hopes of graduating sooner.”

Statewide, the student dropout rate for students in grades 9-12 for the 2008-2009 school year was 4.27 percent, down from 4.97 percent the previous year. According to DPI, 84 percent of all school districts experienced a decrease in dropout rates.

Chris Lavender can be reached at 252-559-1078 or clavender@freedomenc.com.

Grade 9-12 dropout rates and counts

Lenoir County Schools

2004 – 2005

179 student dropouts

5.66 dropout rate

2005-2006

246 student dropouts

7.43 dropout rate

2006 – 2007

189 student dropouts

5.74 dropout rate

2007-2008

144 student dropouts

4.46 dropout rage

2008-2009

186 student dropouts

5.73 dropout rate

Greene County Schools

2004 – 2005

60 student dropouts

6.36 dropout rate

2005 – 2006

62 student dropouts

6.32 dropout rate

2006 – 2007

52 student dropouts

5.29 dropout rate

2007 – 2008

63 student dropouts

6.32 dropout rate

2008 – 2009

45 student dropouts

4.57 dropout rate

Jones County Schools

2004 – 2005

36 student dropouts

8.60 dropout rate

2005 – 2006

19 student dropouts

4.70 dropout rate

2006 – 2007

23 student dropouts

5.62 dropout rate

2007 – 2008

21 student dropouts

5.21 dropout rate

2008 – 2009

18 student dropouts

4.64 dropout rate

Source: North Carolina Department of Public Instruction