LOOKING IN ON: EDUCATION:

Latest graduation ranking has familiar ring

Saturday, June 13, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Archive of Sun education stories

High school graduation rate increases to 65.1 percent (5-19-09)

Once again a national report has ranked Nevada at the bottom in high school graduation rates. And once again Silver State education officials are scrambling to explain why the formula is flawed.

Education Week recently released its annual “Diplomas Count,” ranking states and the country’s 50 largest districts. Clark County, the nation’s fifth-largest district, was ranked 43rd.

The education journal put Nevada’s graduation rate at 47.3 percent and Clark County’s at 46.8 percent. The most recent graduation rates reported by the state and the district — measuring the percentage of the ninth-grade class that earns a diploma four years later — were 67.4 percent and 63 percent, respectively.

The Education Week formula doesn’t count students who drop out of one high school and finish coursework at a different local campus. Nor does it count special education students who earn adjusted diplomas.

That’s a source of frustration, said Keith Rheault, Nevada’s superintendent of public instruction.

No matter which formula is used, there’s obvious need for improvement, he said. But Education Week’s method is particularly harsh.

“The formula hurts us and never helps us,” Rheault said. “There’s no real way for us to get out of the bottom (of the ranking).”

Each year about 1,300 special ed students are awarded adjusted diplomas after completing the requirements of their Individualized Education Plan — accommodations required by federal law. To take those students’ accomplishments into account, Rheault plans to release more comprehensive statistics on high school “completion rates” rather than just the standard diploma graduation rate.

In addition to the special ed students, the new data would also include Adult Education graduates, painting a more accurate picture, Rheault said.

Beginning with the class of 2011, the nation’s governors have agreed to use the same methodology for reporting graduation rates. There will be challenges for Nevada with the new formula as well, Rheault said, because it will penalize districts and states with high transiency that lose track of students who move quickly in and out of schools.

•••

Sandy Miller Elementary is in the running for a $20,000 prize and title of the nation’s most environmentally friendly campus.

The Clark County magnet school, home of the Academy of International Studies, is one of 20 finalists for Wal-Mart’s “Earth Day, Every Day School Challenge.”

Students at the northeast Las Vegas campus turn leftover lunches into compost for an organic garden. Solar panels, donated by the Desert Research Institute, power the hydroponics lab, where second graders raised a bumper crop of tomatoes.

“When I made the garden, I helped the earth by giving it oxygen,” one student wrote in an essay submitted as part of the competition. “I also use each side of paper I’ve ever used.”

In fact, Miller students learn to make their own paper, pulping pages that wind up in one of the school’s numerous recycling bins.

Each school submitted a brief video of its earth-friendly activities. The campus that receives the most online votes by June 19 will win the $20,000 grant.

For information and to vote, go to www.earthdayeverydaychallenge.com.

•••

Sixteen Nevada high schools made Newsweek’s list of the 1,500 best high schools in America, representing the top 6 percent of public campuses.

Newsweek: 6 Clark County schools among nation’s best (6-11-09)

Wooster High in Reno had the highest ranking of any Silver State school, at 239.

Advanced Technologies Academy, a Clark County magnet school, was the top-ranked Southern Nevada campus, coming in at No. 519. Clark High followed at No. 658. Green Valley and Valley High School also cracked the top 1,000, at Nos. 848 and 926.

Coronado High and the Las Vegas Academy magnet school were at No. 1,248 and No. 1,327 respectively.

Coral Academy of Science in Reno, a charter school sponsored by the State Board of Education, finished in 1,478th place.

For its annual ranking, Newsweek uses a formula that rewards campuses at which the number of Advanced Placement exams taken in a given year exceeds the size of the graduating class. Green Valley received a bump from students taking specialized exams as part of the International Baccalaureate program.

Discussion: 16 comments so far…

By dbuss

6/13/09 at 7:19 a.m.

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It is good to read about the accomplishments of the more successful schools (at the end of this account). Sure wish there were concrete ideas on action steps to make the top portion (poor graduation rates) improve -- regardless of the measurement scale used.
By odog

6/13/09 at 9:10 a.m.

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The formula is the same for all school districts. Nevada is at the bottom for a reason. The reason is too many illegal immigrates students no parent discipline, no school discipline, no uniform teaching standards, no parental involvement, too many elective subjects and too much money spent on school administration and management.
By wakeup

6/13/09 at 9:33 a.m.

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stop blaming illegal immigrants for everything, and go back to school and learn how to spell. nevada is at the bottom for a reason, historically there was no push for quality education here and there are immigrants in all 50 states probably like your grandparents. there is school discipline, teachers busting there butts using their own money for supplies, parental involvement. My son just graduated with honors. such a lazy argument, are you involved odog? obviously not because if you were you would see like I do by working closely with the schools, teachers union, parents, that we people from other states have changed the standards in nevada refusing to let our children fall to the waste side. so stop the lazy-clone-driven argument, finger pointing and become a part of the solution.

if you see these low standards it must come from people around YOU because all the teachers, workers and students I'm involved with are driven and seek excellence. did I mention my son just graduated with honors and is attending college next year (ASU).
By america1

6/13/09 at 10:46 a.m.

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Hey wakeup,I see that your son,having a choice now,he's not going to college in nevada.
By trumpeter

6/13/09 at 12:14 p.m.

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Training and educating children for the future involve major sacrifices on the part of any serious and informed parent. While there some public school teachers in CCSD and in Nevada as a whole who are unqualified and lacked the skill to be good teacher, most are qualified and enthusiastic about teaching and learning. Part of the problem is that they have not been given the freedom to be innovative by administrators, who have never been in the classroom, and who are interested in juggling number to look good before Nevada's ignorant politicians. It is important for parents who are truly concerned about their children's education and career to make whatever sacrifice they can to help them learn and acquire the necessary skills for post-secondary education. More importantly is necessity of getting your children out of this state the moment they finish their high school. Many states around Nevada have more rigorous and useful college experience. We have California, Utah, Arizona, and others where education is taking seriously. The choice is yours.
By ZeddyBear

6/13/09 at 2:20 p.m.

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Valley HS has an Academic Achievers program that allows a student who has failed any course to receive a passing grade if that student completes a 3-day 8 hours per day computer course. Of course the student remediates this course at home. The student logs in (How can we be sure the student logging in is the same student who needs to take this course? We don't. We just hope the student is honest enough to fulfill his obligations). This means a student who has failed to complete his/her work in 45 days can by passing a 24 hour program can earn a half-credit per course. This program is only offered to students who hope to graduate this year. This seems to be a case of awarding LAZINESS with a HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA. Ask any teacher if this is fair. Of course the answer will be a resounding --- N O !!!! Ask any administrator and the answer will be the exact opposite. They will tell you anything that puts another senior in the graduation line will be a plus. My answer would be --- If a student fails, hand that student a SUMMER SCHOOL APPLICATION.
By Edith_Victoria

6/13/09 at 2:58 p.m.

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People always wonder what is wrong with the system, but if they'd enter any classroom on a typical day at a typical high school, they'd get their answers. Teachers follow generic lesson plans, not taking into account the needs of their own students. Those students are largely disengaged, many are uninterested with the subject or a lack of innovation in the classroom. This may seem to be a stereotype, but as a recent graduate of the Nevada system, this is what I've seen happen.
You want kids to stay in school? Teach them from an early age the use of a good education. Allow them to develop their interests earlier on with personal counselor meetings instead of a 'four-year plan' sheet of paper. Encourage these interests at school by building extracurricular programs and more technologically-friendly classrooms, and keep in touch with parents to encourage them to help their kids at home.
By wakeup

6/13/09 at 7:14 p.m.

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the location of his school has to do with his major and what college offered it. a millennium scholarship would be ideal especially for a single parent like me.

edith- i don't know what classrooms you've been in but the schools I've visited always had dedicated teachers, highly motivated students. like odog if all you see is negativity around YOU maybe you need to change the caliber of people you find your self surrounded by. I have also worked with the teachers union, state, I have seen it from all sides instead of standing in the background complaining. stop ignoring the history of this town; it was just supposed to be a stop over for gambling. it has developed into a full city, education was never at the for front, anyone could work in a casino but now it's 2009 so what are we going to do to make the educational system in nevada better? Being involved, all I see is dedicated parents, students and those trying to achieve excellence.
By rebelfaninredlands

6/13/09 at 11:28 p.m.

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Emily,
You failed to mention that Valley also has the IB program, along with Green Valley, which helped give it a bump in the ratings too.
By Edith_Victoria

6/14/09 at 6:06 a.m.

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Wakeup!- As a former AP student and valedictorian, I can assure you that my courses were full of honest, hard-working students. As a student who graduated last year and worked as a student aide in several different classrooms prior to receiving my diploma, I can assure you that not all teachers are dedicated and not all students are fantastic. I apologize if my statement sounded like a generalization, but I've seen with my own eyes the faults that I've pointed out.
By pgh727

6/14/09 at 7:01 a.m.

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How can Nevada, and in particular Las Vegas, ever excel in their educational system? The "foundation" is very unstable. Teachers coming and going every few years, language barriers, and parents with an apathetic attitude towards their children, just to mention a few. Where I'm from, your entire family had the same teachers going from K through 12. That's stability and a solid foundation. Most new graduates get hired here only to leave in a few years to other states. There are good students everywhere, but I would never want my children in the local school system. Viewing the graduations this past week valid that. The way some of the graduates acted, crossing the stage to receive their diploma, was an embarrassment to the community as a whole. You've accomplished little and the real work is a head of you. I know many will achieve and be leaders, but most acted like they accomplished something that few others had. Good luck to all the grads!
By odog

6/14/09 at 7:17 a.m.

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wakeup

I just re-checked my letter and the spelling is correct. However, your letter is a grammatical nightmare. It is obvious that your son did not learn from you, if in fact, he is your son.

There are exceptions in the school system, but the other 53.2% failed for a reason and I am sure that all of the previously listed problems, including illegal immigrates have contributed to the high failure rate.

p.s. I have already raised my children. All 3 of them had exceptional grades. I was involved with their school, discipline, and homework. In your case, it is better to be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt. I work with all nationalities from all walks of life. Maybe you need to get your head out of the sand.
By dan2548

6/14/09 at 12:14 p.m.

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Lets get the ethnic profile of all the non graduates and start there. It would probably save alot of money that way.
By readem

7/7/09 at midnight

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What is an immigrate? Is it anything like an immigrant? Check your spelling once more. How about convincing your neighbors and friends to support hiring and keeping better teachers and paying them to stay, then giving them decent class sizes, and administrators who have the courage to remove disruptive students from classes until their parents get tired of sitting in the office with them waiting for conferences and get the picture that they also have a stake in their child's education? Nevada schools are built according to the desires of Nevada's voters, and the outcome is the result of that. If we want better statistics, we will have to put our funds and votes in that direction instead of arguing about ethnic and parenting issues which we can't change.

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