Emily L. Gibson
For many schools in high-poverty communities, becoming high performing requires more than providing excellent academics. In our work in elementary, middle, and high schools across the country, we have found a strong relationship between school cultures and student success. In Building a Culture of Hope (2013), we describe four essential social-emotional assets which, when embedded into the fabric of a school’s culture, help students build resilience and hope for their future. Read more
Emily L. Gibson
Emily L. Gibson, EdD, a former instructional coach, provides professional development for teachers with an emphasis on improving school culture and transitioning to the Common Core State Standards.
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Unpacking High School Graduation Rates
Categories: Common Core & Standards
The number of high school dropouts—approximately 15% of the 16- to 24-year-old population—represents a national crisis with huge personal and societal consequences. In Building a Culture of Hope (2013), Dr. Robert D. Barr and I described the high school dropout crisis in detail using data from 2009–10. At that time, the national graduation rate was hovering near 74%. The release of data for the 2011–12 school year indicates the national graduation rate has risen to 80%, with 27 states having graduation rates above 80% (US Department of Education, 2014). While average graduation rates across the nation are steadily increasing for all subpopulations, average graduation rates hide the persistent gap between demographic groups, especially for students who are poor, minorities, limited English proficient, or students with disabilities. This blog post focuses on understanding current high school graduation rates.