Report shows rising dropout rate in county, state

Friday, May 15, 1998 | 10:09 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The dropout rate for Nevada high school students is on the rise again with Clark County recording its highest percentage ever.

After a one-year decline, the percentage of high school dropouts rose to 9.9 percent in 1996-97, an increase of one-half of a percent from the previous year.

Clark County's dropout rate jumped from 10.8 percent to 11.7 percent -- the previous high was 11.6 percent in 1994-95.

"In our case, as the district becomes more urban, it becomes an increasing problem ... when you combine the urban population with the good employment market," Clark County School Superintendent Brian Cram said.

Many students have full-time jobs in the service industry, Cram said, allowing them to leave high school and make a living. He said the dropout numbers will continue to grow as the district receives more students with limited English speaking capabilities.

"The bottom line," Cram said, "is we can't simply say our economy or our demographics are an excuse."

As a result, he said a new program -- Learn and Earn -- has been instituted to try to keep potential dropouts in school.

There are some who contend the high number of high school credits required in Nevada -- among the highest in the nation -- is causing part of the problem, Cram said.

In addition, Cram said there's a high rate of students moving in and out of the district. If they go to another school without requesting a transcript, they are counted as dropouts.

Statewide 7,600 students left high school for a variety of reasons compared to 6,647 who dropped out the previous year.

In a report to be presented to the state Board of Education today in Las Vegas, the state Department of Education said dropout rates actually fell in eight of Nevada's 16 school districts, but the rising number of dropouts in Clark and Washoe counties caused the statewide percentage increase.

Dropouts cost everyone.

"The statistics surrounding high school dropouts are troubling. Past research has shown that relatively more dropouts are unemployed and are more likely to receive public assistance than high school graduates," the education department stated in its annual report.

"Over the course of their working lives, dropouts will earn $212,000 less than high school graduates," the report continued.

The second highest dropout rate in Nevada is in White Pine County at 9.7 percent.

Washoe County's rate jumped from 8.1 to 8.5 percent. Other counties with rising dropout rates were Mineral and Nye.

Eureka County led the state with the lowest rate for the third straight year, with all of its high school students remaining in class. There is no high school in Esmeralda County.

Dropout rates fell in Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Humboldt, Lincoln, Lyon and Storey counties.

The report said statewide Hispanics have the highest dropout rate at 15.7 percent; followed by blacks at 12.9 percent; American Indian at 12.6 percent; Asian and white, both at 8.3 percent.

Males in grades 9-12 posted a 10.5 percent dropout rate compared to female students with a 9.3 percentage.