Dropouts, Crime and Suspensions Decreased in 2008-09
District continues to see improvements in dropout rate
Contact: Laurie Hogan (336) 370-8307
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High school dropouts, reportable crimes and suspensions decreased for Guilford County Schools (GCS) during the 2008-09 school year, according to a report released today by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
In a year when North Carolina recorded its lowest high school dropout rate ever, 4.27 percent, the dropout rate for GCS remained well below the state average at 3.13 percent. This rate is down from 3.31 percent in 2007-08. The district had the lowest dropout rate of the five largest school districts in the state.
The top two reasons reported at the state level for dropouts were attendance (42 percent) and enrollment in a community college (21.1 percent). In 2008, GCS opened the Twilight School to provide classes on a non-traditional schedule for students who have circumstances that make regular school attendance difficult. The district is also a state and national leader in the middle college movement with six middle college high schools located at local college and university campuses. The district’s dropout rate has been cut almost in half since the 1999-2000 school year when it was 5.97 percent.
During the 2008-09 school year, Weaver Academy, The Middle College at GTCC-Jamestown and The Early College at Guilford were among seven schools in the state with a 100 percent graduation rate. Northwest High had one of the top two graduation rates in the state for schools with 500 or more graduating seniors. Overall, the graduation rate for GCS was 79.9 percent, compared to the statewide rate of 71.7 percent.
Reportable crimes were down approximately 15 percent for GCS in 2008-09 for a total of 545 acts. The 346 acts that occurred in high schools equated to 15.91 acts per 1,000 students, close to the state rate of 15.7 per 1,000 students.
Short-term suspensions lasting up to 10 days, which totaled 11,928 for the district, decreased slightly by less than 1 percent. Long-term suspensions of more than 10 days for more serious offenses showed a larger decline, down 59 percent from 2007-08 to 41 suspensions in 2008-09. The district’s suspension trend follows the state trend, where long-term suspensions decreased substantially. The rate of short-term suspensions is lower in GCS than it is in the state with 29.7 suspensions per 100 students compared to 34.8 per 100 students in the state.
According to the Department of Public Instruction, the areas of dropouts, crime and suspensions are closely connected to high school graduation rates. The department says students who avoid crime and suspensions are more likely to stay in school and graduate on time. To view the full report, click on the link below.
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/research/discipline/reports/consolidated/2008-09/consolidated-report.pdf
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About Guilford County Schools
Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina serving more than 71,000 students at 121 schools. With approximately 10,000 employees, the district’s mission is to graduate responsible citizens prepared to succeed in higher education or the career of their choice.
Guilford County Schools is a national leader in providing specialized schools and instructional programs designed to meet the educational needs of a culturally diverse citizenship. For more information, visit the district’s website at www.gcsnc.com.
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