 Data from the Illinois State Board of Education's 2010 annual report
show that since 2001, the graduation rate has increased from 83.2
percent to 87.8 percent, and the dropout rate has decreased from 5.7
percent to 3.8 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of low-income
students jumped from 36.1 percent in 1999 to 45.4 percent in 2010.
"We know that the graduation rate has gone up, so we know the
percentage of students entering schools are actually graduating and
getting a diploma," said Matt Vanover, a spokesman for Illinois
State Board of Education.
The Quincy School District has seen a total high school
graduation rate of 90.1 percent, according to the district's 2010
ISBE report card.
"Our focus, obviously, of any educator is, we'd love to have a
100 percent graduation rate, and we're not there yet," said Lonny
Lemon, the school district's superintendent. "And yes, we are above
the state average, and we're glad. We're working toward that and we
continue to raise those numbers, but certainly we'd like to graduate
every kid that walks through our doors that first day as a
freshman."
The high school graduation in both the Harrisburg School District
and Rockford School District was 79.9 percent, according to 2010
ISBE report cards.
"It isn't where we would like it to be; we would like the number
to be higher," said Dennis Smith, superintendent of Harrisburg
School District.
Smith said the number of transient students affect the figures,
but he noted that enrollment this year increased by about 20 to 30
students, due in part to jobs at new mines in the area.
In the Rockford School District, officials acknowledge they are
troubled by the dropout rate of 5 percent.
"It is a number that we are concerned about," said Travis Woulfe,
the school district's executive director of accountability. "Dr. (LaVonne
M.) Sheffield, our superintendent, has really been aggressive in
trying to right what is going on in our high schools."
Woulfe said student test scores have "not been a pretty picture,"
so the district has been reviewing information to combat the dropout
rate.
In Harrisburg, the dropout rate stood at 5.5 percent.
"We do have students leave. Some students say they are leaving to
go to another school. They never send record requests back. So we
assume that they have dropped out and we report them as such," Smith
said. "We don't like that percentage and we hope it gets better."
However, Quincy is showing a bright spot, with a dropout rate of
1.4 percent, which Lemon credits to a television and radio outreach
program on truancy.
"And we've had a citywide campaign, and we targeted it really
heavily as a community last year, and hopefully it has paid the
results," Lemon said. "But certainly we can do our best to educate
our kids that it is very, very crucial to get a high school diploma
so they can take the next steps in their lives, whether it is
military service, a vocational school or a community college, or
even four-year college or university."
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However, the school districts of Quincy, Harrisburg and Rockford
have shown higher percentages of low-income students -- a trend
that's seen statewide.
"We know that the number of low-income students, percentage of
low-income students, continues to grow," Vanover said. "We are not
sure why that is the case, but we do know that over the past decade
we have seen a significant increase in the number of low-income
students that are enrolled in our public schools."
Area educators point to the recession as a major factor.
Woulfe said Rockford's manufacturers have been hit hard during
the economic downturn. The area frequently posts the highest
unemployment in the state.
"The school district is a reflection of our community," Woulfe
said of the district's 75.3 percentage rate of low-income students.
Lemon agreed, noting Quincy schools have seen an increase in the
number of students receiving free and reduced lunch -- a strong
indicator of the district's low-income students at 52.7 percent.
Dennis said Harrisburg's location in the poverty-prone
southeastern part of the state has a lot to do with its 50.8
percentage low-income students.
"We know the number was high; we're not happy with it," Dennis
said. "On the other hand ... did you look at the percentage of
low-income in my district versus other districts? I think that has
something to do with it."
Vanover said the state board is keeping an eye on the growing
number of low-income students.
"We do know that those types of students who are low-income have
a greater chance for difficulty in keeping up with their peers, so
it presents an additional challenge to schools to try and ensure
that all schools are getting the appropriate education," he said.
But Dennis put the report in perspective.
"That report card isn't us. To know us, you about need to come
here and walk around, talk to people, look at all kinds of things
that we do, and then tell us how you think we are doing and not just
base it on that," he said.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By DIANE S.W. LEE]
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