Can We Build A Grad Nation? | Taking Note

Can We Build A Grad Nation? | Taking Note

Can We Build A Grad Nation?

by JOHN MERROW on 30. NOV, 2010 in READING, SCHOOL REFORM, TEACHING

We have 15 million high school students, but about 1 million drop out every year. That’s nearly 7%! This means that approximately 1 out of every 4 9th graders won’t graduate high school.

Today’s report from America’s Promise, “Building a Grad Nation,” indicates that some progress has been made, but not enough. The report, made possible by Target, calls for a domestic Marshall Plan to address the problem.

I had strong reactions to five points in the report. And if you are too busy to read them all, please skip to #5.

#1: Credit card companies can track us anywhere, anytime, but schools don’t have a clue about where their students end up, because states and schools don’t count graduates and