Recent coverage in the media has heightened citizens’ awareness that only 75 percent of Colorado’s high school students graduated from high school in 2007.
That’s a statewide figure. It includes those kids from well-to-do families where a graduate degree is a given, to say nothing of a high school diploma, as well as kids attending small schools where teachers, parents and administrators can intervene at the slightest problem.
Statistics are even grimmer for youth who face grown-up challenges — unemployed, absent, neglectful or abusive parents; being shuttled among courts and foster homes; drugs, alcohol and violence; pregnancy; the need to work to support a family — at too young an age. The America’s Promise Alliance study cited in a recent column by David Harsanyi (April 3) found that 80 percent of students in Denver suburban districts graduate compared to 47 percent in Denver urban districts.
Naturally, everyone from teachers unions to politicians have been blamed for what is considered an embarrassment to our state, and even more so to at-risk districts. But before parents and residents of cozy bedroom communities turn the page, remember that dropout rates affect us all. How does a state with one of the nation’s highest education levels also have such a discouraging dropout rate?
The answer is complex. But while others are playing the blame game, let me shed a ray of hope on the subject. Goodwill Industries, with the support of communities, is finding individual answers to help at-risk students in urban school districts work their way out of the problem. We’re developing and implementing programs to help get more Colorado students to graduation day.
Tim Welker is Goodwill Industries of Denver president and CEO. EDITOR’S NOTE: This online-only guest commentary has not been edited. Guest commentary submissions of up to 650 words may be sent to openforum@denverpost.com.
