Dropout rate falls in Clark County

Monday, April 9, 2001 | 9:56 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The number of students dropping out of Clark County high schools declined dramatically last year, even though there was an increase in enrollment, the state Department of Education said.

The department said the Clark County School District implemented a number of programs to discourage students from leaving school and they seem to be working.

"These alternate programs make a difference," said Gary Waters, a member of the state Board of Education from Las Vegas.

Figures released at the board's meeting Friday noted the enrollment in high schools in Clark County increased in 1999-2000 by 3,530 students over 1998-1999 numbers, but the dropout total fell by 883 students.

The report said the statewide dropout rate for high school students was 6.1 percent, or 5,347 students.

That's the lowest in the past five years, when the rates were all 7 percent or higher, officials said.

Last year Nevada had the highest dropout rate among the 37 states that report the figures to the National Center for Education Statistics.

Douglas Thunder, a deputy superintendent in the Education Department, said the state-to-state comparisons won't be out for another month or two, but he noted that California, Arizona and some other fast-growing states don't report their dropout figures.

Clark County registered a 6.9 percent dropout rate, or 3,905 students, compared with 9 percent in 1998-99. That was still the fourth highest rate in the state.

The improvement, the report said, could be due to such programs as providing child-care services for infants of students; bringing volunteers into the classroom to talk about the importance of staying in school; classes before and after school to help students catch up so they can graduate; and students being able to take correspondence classes or get credit by examination.

"Sunset High has four locations that offer students the opportunity to meet requirements as a concurrent or full-time student," the report said.

Dropout rates statewide were highest among seniors, with 2,310 leaving school before graduation.

Waters said many seniors leave to get jobs.

"The kids are not dropping out to watch TV but to go to work," he said.

He would like to see employers require students to have a high school diploma or attend school full time before they are hired.

"If they couldn't go to work, they would stay in school," Waters said.

The Clark County School District has started a program, "We Promote Graduates," that seeks commitments from businesses to require a high school diploma of their school-age full-time employees. So far the Venetian, McDonald's and the Latin Chamber of Commerce have signed onto the program.

The report released by the Education Department shows blacks and Hispanics dropped out at a higher rate than whites and Asians. The rate for Hispanics was 9.2 percent; American Indian, 8.3 percent; blacks, 8 percent; 4.9 percent for whites; and 4.4 percent for Asians.

"Although we are happy that our overall dropout rate has declined this year," said Jack McLaughlin, state superintendent of public instruction, "we still need to address ways to keep our minority students in school so they can graduate from high school with the skills they need for employment or further education,"

Eureka County, with 108 high school students, did not have a single dropout last year. And Lincoln County with 272 high school students reported only one dropout. White Pine County had the highest dropout rate at 15.8 percent.