Rising Graduation Rates a Credit to Improved Standards

publication date: May 22, 2008

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author/source: Jan Jones

By Jan Jones

It's easy to lose sight of real change when it occurs incrementally over time. Today our daughter tries on the cap and gown for this week's high school graduation. It gives me pause. Whatever happened to the 4-year-old girl who wouldn't stop sticking out her tongue at her pre-school graduation?

Even more, whatever happened to bring about an extraordinary 10 percent increase in Georgia's high school graduation rate in just five years?

Just like our daughter growing up, numerous steps strung together. Individual students, parents and educators deserve tremendous credit for the progress. And so does “aggressive incremental change” engineered by Georgia state legislators, Governor Sonny Perdue and State School Superintendent Kathy Cox.

Georgia's graduation rate increase to 72 percent has changed lives. It means 35,000 students crossed the stage that would have been dropouts if the graduation needle remained stuck where it was when Governor Perdue took office.

The increase required the diligent and collaborative work that rarely makes the newspapers' front pages. And it has taken fortitude to gently, but relentlessly, challenge the status quo that prefers the status quo.

To be frank, it would have been unconscionable to accept doing things the same way to get the same results. Few state endeavors will affect more individual lives and spur greater economic development than assuring our statewide system of learning actually works.

Good intentions aren’t sufficient, though. Intention must translate into results.

Now, Georgia’s academic standards are higher than ever. Students must read proficiently in grades 3, 5 and 8 before advancing to the next level. No more learning Johnny can’t read his senior year.

Also, the state raised the passing score required for statewide achievement tests. Georgia implemented end-of-course exams for eight core subjects and made them count 15 percent of high school students’ grades. You don’t know what the problem is if you don’t test to see if there is one.

We’ve learned when it comes to improving schools, it’s not just about the money. It’s about how you spend it.

In recent years, Georgia more directly targets state K-12 funding to get results. The state funds a graduation coach in middle and high schools to identify students at risk of dropping out and get them back on track.

And 65 percent of all combined state, local and federal funding must be spent in the classroom where learning occurs, not on bureaucrats in the central office. Again, realizing what happens in the classroom counts: teacher pay now exceeds all other southeastern states so Georgia can attract the best educators.

Class sizes have been made smaller, especially in grades K-3 where reading and math basics are taught. The state ramped up the curriculum making it more rigorous at every level in every classroom.

Parents and students also have more education options. High school students may take 75 online Advanced Placement and other courses outside of their schools. The number of charter schools has doubled to 71. Local school councils offering feedback to principals and school boards are now parent-majority with a parent-chair giving parents a greater voice in their children’s schools.

What’s ahead? Recently signed legislation will encourage school systems to opt for more flexibility from state requirements in exchange for higher achievement through five-year contracts.

A new state law will lead to more specialized or innovative public charter schools, recognizing that students’ needs do not always fit into tidy school system attendance zones. Additionally, tax credits will be available to assist those who choose private schools.

Next year, we’ll take on updating the per-student funding formula to reflect 21st century goals and needs. And teacher merit pay will be on the table.

Increasing the graduation rate by the next 10 percentage points will be even more challenging. So let’s get on with it. The next generation.