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What Parents Should Know about High School Graduation

May 23, 2017 | Parents

You will hear a lot of news about how high school graduation rates rose within the past 8 years under the past administration, but for purposes other than propaganda, the United States has nothing to brag about. At the current time, our graduation rates are at an all-time high to a sad rate of just over 83%. Even if you give them that extra few tenths of a percentage point and list it as 84% of those who made it through from 9th grade, it leaves a lot to be desired. Let’s take a look at what parents should know about high school graduation and why they should be so very proud of their children who make it all the way through.

These Figures Don’t Tell the Whole Story

When releasing the statistics for those students who started 9th grade and made it all the way through graduation, most news agencies won’t tell you just how many kids drop out during middle school/ junior high. In California alone somewhere near 4% of students will never enter 9th grade and of those, many drop out during that pivotal year, their first in high school. So then, of those 84% (remember, we are giving them the benefit of the doubt) who make it all the way through to graduation, it is realistically only 80% of those who entered kindergarten at age 5.

There Seems to Be a Breakdown in Quality Control

Imagine that! What would you say about a company that had quality control that didn’t pass 20% of the work being completed? That company would soon be put out of business for not meeting production costs. Is that what we are doing to our students? So, yes, it is a huge accomplishment for your child who made it all the way through 13 years of academia. They deserve the biggest graduation party ever and if cost is an issue, host your own party, use free graduation invitation templates to keep costs even lower, and get friends and family involved to keep the cost even lower yet. It is a big day and should be treated as such.

A Realistic Look at Goals Not Being Met

It was President Obama’s goal to reach a 90% graduation rate by 2020, but his goals are far from being met. With only three years to go, and in the 7 years since his initiative was instituted, the graduation rate only went up by 3 points from 81% to 84%, if you continue to give them those few extra tenths of a percentile. If you divide that in half, having gone through 2/3 of the timeframe, that would mean that by 2020 only about 85.5% of kids graduate and that is only halfway to the former President’s goals.

Where We Stand Globally Among Developed Nations

When looking at graduation rates among developed nations, the United States comes somewhere near the bottom of the pack. With all the technology and financial advantages our kids have, it is a sad statement as to the state of education in America. At this point, we cannot blame the kids, but rather the legislators and educators as well as parents whose hands our future happens to be in. They are responsible for designing an education system in which our kids are excited to be a part of and a system that enables them to advance on their own merits. Here it should be noted that almost 34% of those graduating are not able to meet college entry literacy tests because they are being promoted to give a false rise in graduation statistics. Again, a sad state of affairs.

A Few Final Thoughts and Major Kudos

Only Sweden, Mexico, Luxemburg, Greece and Austria had lower graduation rates than the US, so you can see how badly we are scoring globally. Parents should understand that graduation is a huge accomplishment in the life of their children because so many kids never make it that far. With 20% of the kids they entered kindergarten with never seeing that diploma at the completion of 12th grade, they are among the best of the best and should be rewarded. Even with an educational system as lacking as ours, they made it all the way through and that is something to be proud of. That’s what parents should know. Kudos to all you parents and kids who stuck it out. You deserve that party – now start planning!

What Parents Should Know about High School Graduation

### May 23, 2017

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