NPR did an excellent analysis of the nation’s rising high school graduation rates.
In some states and districts, the rates are rising because of successful programs that have been put in place to support students as they progress in school (or don’t).
In some states, the numbers are fudged and gamed. The students are given worthless diplomas.
Read the story to see the complexity of the statistics.
Well done.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
This link doesn’t work. I can’t wait to read more.
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You can get to the article from the NPR home page: http://www.npr.org
I saw nothing in the article about all the states that have recently increased the age when students are allowed to drop out.
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Not seeing a lot of nuance and careful parsing of data here from the data-based crowd:
“U.S. students are graduating from high school at a higher rate than ever before, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics. The nation’s high school graduation rate hit 81 percent in 2012-13, the highest level since states adopted a new uniform way of calculating graduation rates five years ago.
“America’s students have achieved another record-setting milestone,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said. “We can take pride as a nation in knowing that we’re seeing promising gains, including for students of color. This is a vital step toward readiness for success in college and careers for every student in this country, and these improvements are thanks to the hard work of teachers, principals, students and families.”
It’s almost like some politics has crept into our political system and is influencing the wholly dispassionate recitation of “data” 🙂
http://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-high-school-graduation-rate-hits-new-record-high
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I read this through yesterday ; Helig’s work where they say statistics can be “bogus”…. I noticed in my local newspaper where Massachusetts took Lawrence Public schools in receivership, they are now bragging in the first paragraph of the article>
Automatic raises of teachers were stopped.
Graduation rates went up.
It is clear that Arne Duncan has an interest in making Lawrence “look good” but if they are using bogus statistics this needs to be exposed. Also, why are they insisting in the first paragraph that the teacher automatic raises must stop? I know as a retired teacher we have a COLA that is voted year by year. This is another example of the WI strategy of busting unions. The unions for teachers are 80% female and the college faculty are 80% adjunct…. so this is a power balance that has to be addressed in everything we do. I will send an email to the governor and try to get comments in the local newspaper — if you think of other places to write let me know… (in the same newspaper is an article on how special education “busts the budget” in the next large city north of Lawrence).
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Wait, isn’t this the same character who not too long ago was wringing his hands about the “lies” we are telling our students, vis-a-vis their academic progress?
Well, if NYC is an indicator, the lies are expressed in those graduation rates, since many, many schools have a de facto policy of, “If they’re breathing and they’ve been physically present in the building for the past year, they should be passed.”
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but only the hysterical suburban moms will believe one set of lies?
It behooves the politician to show how poor the scores were just before s/he got elected into office and then, miracle of miracles, notice the graduation rate is going up up up and away? Also, look into the NPR article for the pages to see what your state is reporting … I checked out MA and then I looked at NJ because I am somewhat familiar with the politics of NJ — will go back to see what other states are reporting (again, it is not wise to accept the reported statistics but be aware as we aware of how NCTQ rates and ranks our teachers colleges.)
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MF, “If they’re breathing and they’ve been physically present in the building for the past year” sounds as if they could be Career Ready–I’ve known a few employees in for-profit companies who fit that description 🙂
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Indeed, but the proper phasing should be, “College Debt and Poverty-Wage Career Ready.”
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cs. I couldn’t get the article into the previous comment; here it is http://www.eagletribune.com/news/state-control-of-city-schools-will-continue-for-three-years/article_b16c5d7c-8928-59c0-a903-d478be534351.html
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“Massachusetts does NOT require Algebra II in order to graduate” ,
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You always have to “read between the radio waves” when you listen to NPR or read something on their website: question not only what the folks at NPR say, but even more importantly, what they leave out.
NPR has raised “propaganda by omission” to an art form.
And NPR has received millions of dollars from the Gates Foundation, in some cases specifically for education reporting.
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Some Dam Poet; and look at the sources that NPR sites (achieve, inc)… they have caused difficulty here because they seem to be acceptable to our Commissioner of ED just as relies on Sir Michael Barber to write educational policy for MA. Didn’t you write us an NPR poem last fall some time? I remember it but can’t quote it exactly. Thanks for all you do.
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can’t recall a particular one on NPR, but how about this one?
“Read between the radio waves”
“Read between the radio waves”
To fathom NPR
Gates Foundation pays their ways
And keeps them in a jar
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Excellent!!! I especially like the reference to the ‘jar”… gives me a lot of images I can work with in my thoughts!!1 thanks again
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Glad to be of some use (every once in a great while, at least)
“NPR in a Jar”
NPR
Is in a jar
Propaganda spread
Radio whore
As payment for
The underwriter bread
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The federal grant we MA “won” amounts to 44 cents a day per student over four years– a rather miserly investment. What did Massachusetts get? According to a number of Beltway observers, we got national standards that, in terms of quality, were “within the margin of error” of our state standards. DC-based organizations like Achieve, Inc., the Fordham Institute, and the National Center on Education and the Economy, as well as two trade organizations (the Council of Chief State School Officers and the National Governors Association) all told us that the changes were nothing to be concerned about.”
it took me several years to figure out this Fordham I. (Checkers Finn) and Achieve Inc were only producing information that supports a particular ideology. People like Diane, Mercedes Schneider, Jan Resseger, Bob Braun, New Jersey Jazzman etc…. thanks!!! sorry it took me so long. [please not when I quoted that I placed the “won” in quotation marks as it has taken us backwards)
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“Margin of Error”
Margin of error
Common Core
Sergeant of terror
Coleman Spore
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“merchant of error” would be better
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You need to delete this first bit
the%20truth%20about%20america%27s%20graduation%20rates%20http//
from the url. Then it works
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Try this link:
http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2015/06/07/411786246/in-chicago-at-risk-students-are-being-misclassified?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=education
I agree to feeling queasy about NPR’s funding coming from BillandMelinda, but here is a more skeptical look.
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Here’s the link to the series:
http://www.wbez.org/series/front-center/behind-cps-graduation-rates-system-musical-chairs-111786%20
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Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Texas Education.
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Diane Ravitch says:
“NPR did an excellent analysis of the nation’s rising high school graduation rates.”
I whole hearted agree.
There is no rhyme or reason to connect this Bill Gates or Arne Duncan. Why look for the dark clouds in every thing that is published by conservative or liberal media.? The media in general, especially NPR does a better job than the people who comment here in anger.
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Another concern troll. Prove your point, if you can,
NPR is in the bucket for the reformsters. I have previously posted a link to their ‘reporting project’ that is funded by reformsters and ‘reports’ uncritically on Florida education ‘reforms’ and they are cheerleaders for Jeb Bush.
http://stateimpact.npr.org/florida/
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Alter ego of Raj.
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I really miss the complaints about “diatribe”, but I suppose I can be content with the reference to “people who comment here in anger”.
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Typical so-called reform misdirection and playing-the-victim: while the so-called reformers close public schools, direct millions to private charter schools, scapegoat teachers, narrow students’ education with age-inappropriate curriculum, they then whine about their hurt feelings when people stand up to defend their children, students, interests and professional livelihood.
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Can’t open the “excellent analysis”.
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As always, things go a lot better for the lucky students in wealthy, well-funded districts here in NJ (despite the state’s progressive funding formula). The NPR article reports that in Camden when students flunk the HSPA (high school proficiency assessment), they have an alternate route to prove achievement which may include as little– in math– as one algebra problem. Meanwhile when my youngest flunked the practice HSPA math test sophomore year, he was required to take two math classes back-to-back junior year, including intensive HSPA math-prep (he passed the HSPA)
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And do not miss this wonderful post at Perdaily.com, on the LAUS’s graduation policy. A must read…trust me…
http://www.perdaily.com/2015/06/lausd-relaxes-graduation-requirements–fairness-or-more-premeditated-fraud.html
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