Derrick Miller
The Duncan Banner
DUNCAN —
When the state report cards for area schools were released, each school’s dropout rate and graduation rate were compared to the state average.
The rates for the Class of 2009, reflect all four years the students were in high school.
The state average dropout rate for the 2008-09 school year was 12.4 percent. This percent included all 77 counties in the state and reflects students in ninth through 12th grade. Stephens County’s dropout rate for the same school year was 16.7 percent, which is the sixth highest in the state.
Duncan Assistant Superintendent Glenda Cobb said, “The formula by which dropout rates are complicated.”
State statutes define a high school dropout as “any student who is not attending school, is under the age of 19 and has not graduated from high school.”
Of the seven Stephens County school districts, Empire was the only school district not to have a four-year dropout rate for the Class of 2009, because no students dropped out of school during that period.
Three other school districts in the county had dropout rates that were lower than the state’s average four-year dropout rate. Those schools are Central High 3.2 percent, Marlow with 8.5 percent and Comanche with 7.7 percent.
The three remaining school districts exceeded the state average of 12.7 percent. Those schools were Bray-Doyle with 13.5 percent, Velma-Alma with 16.7 percent and Duncan with 25.1 percent.
When it comes to graduation rates for the 77 counties, the state average was 97.8 percent for the 2008-09 school year. Stephens County’s graduation rate was 97.3 percent for the same school year. These numbers are based on the number of graduates divided by the number of graduates plus senior dropouts.
Several Stephens County high schools had 100 percent graduations rates because no students dropped out during the 2008-09 school year. Those schools include Empire, Central High and Bray-Doyle.
In addition to the schools with 100 percent graduation rates, Comanche High School also surpassed the state average with 98.8 percent for the 2008-09 school year.
Three schools didn’t meet the state average. Those schools include Marlow with 97.7 percent, Duncan with 96.4 percent and Velma-Alma with 90.9 percent.
Cobb said Duncan’s scores are a bit skewed because of some of students entered into the alternative education program at EDGE Academy, which is aimed toward at-risk students.
If a student drops out, returns and drops out again, it counts against the school district twice. Cobb said the objective is to help students, regardless of what marks the district receives from the state level.
“We have an alternative school that’s brings kids back,” Cobb said. “Every time a student drops out, it counts against us. It takes some of them more than four years to graduate.
“As long as we’re helping students, we’re OK with that.”
— Derrick Miller is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 160, or via e-mail at derrick.miller@duncanbanner.com.
