Back to the Future: High School Graduation Rates
Yes, the rate for U.S. students graduating high school reached 78 percent in 2010, the highest since 1970. And furthermore, dropout rates has fallen to three percent, its lowest since that year. Have you heard any bells chiming the good news? Any upbeat news flashes interrupting CNN anchors? Where are the bloggers posts of U.S. schools finally turning around and on the upswing refuting those school reform Cassandras’ constant talk of failing U.S. schools? I have not heard any bells chiming, seen any news flashes, or read such posts. Isn’t this good news? Sure, it is but bad news accompanies it as well.Here is some history on U.S. graduation rates. Not until the 1930s, did getting a high school diploma seem within reach of most U.S. teenagers (13-17 years of age). During the Great Depression, for the first time over half of 13-17 year olds attended high school. WW II interrupted that