The “50 Rule”
The school drop-out rate is wreaking havoc in America. We are rapidly falling behind educational results of other countries.
Income level of a family is a factor in drop-outs. The overriding issue, however, is attitude towards education and method of instruction. I served as Vice-chair of the Arizona Senate Education Committee many years ago. The problem then and now starts with legislative unwillingness to pay teachers salaries competitive to what they can earn elsewhere in society.
To put our predicament in perspective, consider what I call the hard-to-believe “50 Rule”.
· The drop-out rate over a 4-year high school term approaches somewhere in the neighborhood of 50%. In Arizona, the annual rate ranges from 8.5% to 15% depending on race. Highest is among Native Americans, followed by Hispanics, Blacks and then Anglos.
· A drop-out rarely moves more than 50 miles from home-base.
· 50% or more of prison inmates are school drop-outs.· The recidivism rate of ex-convicts exceeds 50%.The obvious truth is that the problem we let happen remains tucked away in our backyard forever.
When troubles arise, we either succumb or overcome. Can the problem be solved? You bet! I serve on the East Valley Institute of Technology Foundation Board, Mesa, Arizona, where the drop-out rate is less than 1% a year. Why the big difference? Results-based education! Dedicated staff! A student is given the vision to see the outcome of completion. Additionally, we are able to keep some of the students in school with small scholarships ranging from $50 to a couple of thousand dollars a semester.
One of my grandsons was expelled from Paradise Valley High School at the end of his sophomore year. It is a testament to teachers that he wasn’t expelled sooner. I would be surprised if he ever got a better grade than a D. However, at the end of his second week in EVIT, he scored an A in math and an A-minus in biology. I didn’t know he could read as well. In his sixth week he and two others from his class were selected to attend an Arizona State University program where he received a $500 grant. He graduated from EVIT on schedule.
Teachers help mold our children. Isn’t there more we can do for teachers so they can do a better job of helping us parents give our children strength, energy, vision and motivation?