Bill passes Senate with Reid proposal to curb dropouts

Benjamin Grove

Friday, April 24, 1998 | 10:02 a.m.

The U.S. Senate passed legislation Thursday partially crafted by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., that targets the 500,000 students who drop out of school each year.

"We have successful programs that have worked," Reid said in a telephone interview. "We want to take those programs and put them in other places all over the country."

The two senators introduced the dropout programs amendment to part of an education bill that passed 56-43. The amendment would provide $125 million in grants for programs available to schools nationwide with high dropout rates. Schools that qualify could be eligible for as much as $50,000 each.

Reid admitted he doesn't like the overall bill, which hands some power of public school districts to private operators. He also said Clinton is expected to veto the bill, but Reid vowed to introduce the dropout programs legislation again, possibly this session.

"We need to do more to encourage Nevada kids to stay in school," Reid said, referring to his dropout programs amendment. "Even if the president vetoes the overall education bill, today's victory on the Senate floor will put immense momentum behind our bill. This is good news for students of this country."

Nevada's dropout rate is among the highest in the nation at 10 percent, which lawmakers and educators say is mostly fueled by Nevada's high job growth. Of those students who do graduate, only 38 percent go to college, second worst in the nation.

According to Reid's statistics, Hispanics, a growing population in Nevada, have the highest dropout rate at 37 percent. Reid said he wants new programs to target all teens who are struggling with school and are tempted by Nevada's service industry jobs.

"High school graduates make twice what dropouts do," Reid said. "You can go to work for a lawn service making $17,000 a year, but by the time you're 60, you're still making the same wage."