We applaud the State Board of Education for changing its calculation of high school dropouts in spite of strong opposition from some quarters.
Lawmakers last year called for uniform rules for determining graduation rates. The goal is to better track kids who slip through the cracks. The state board was charged with writing new rulesbut was under pressure to approve a watered-down version.
For years, some principals have counted students as transfers even though they dropped out. The new wording, starting next school year, requires districts to get written proof of transfers.
The state education department has claimed a steadily rising graduation rate in recent years, but the figures are questionable. Studies show the graduation rate could be anywhere from 61 to 82 percent.
The new rules will give educators a truer sense of what’s happening in their schools, even if some aren’t convinced.
“It’s going to force the dropout rate to go up, and it’s not good. It will increase the criticism of us,” said Phil Fox of the Colorado Association of School Executives.
But until schools know the magnitude of the problem, they won’t be able to solve it. This was an important first step.
