Superintendent’s Chat

Richard McClements, Shonto Preparatory School

An education is a gift that far too many take for granted. Students who drop out may think at the time that all will be well, but little do they know that for most, they will now be facing a life of hardship, limited choices, and deprivation.

The following dropout rates are heartbreaking:

· Boston – 18%

· Cleveland – 72%

· Dade County, FL – 43%

· Denver – 47%

· Houston – 48%

· Indianapolis – 61%

· Las Angeles – 44%

· New York City – 45%

It is estimated that of those who drop out, only one-fourth will later earn a GED.

According to data from the Alliance for Education, 2002, the following represents the annual income according to level of education:

· Drop out - $25,035

· High school diploma - $33,184

· Some college - $39,221

· Associate’s degree (two years of college) - $41,368

· Bachelor’s degree – $52,585

· Beyond bachelor’s degree - $100,000

One of the greatest predictors of who is a likely drop out is a child’s ability to read at grade level in the elementary school. Students who are in the lowest quartile on state testing are 3 ½ times more likely to drop out of school than students at the next to lowest quartile. Nationwide, 6,000,000 students in grades 6-12 are reading below basic levels. Only 5% of high school students cannot decode words. The problem is that they can’t read a page and tell you what the page said. It takes them too long to decode and then comprehend.

We need to do a much, much better job here at Shonto in making certain that all of our students become proficient readers. We are hiring a full time literacy specialist next year, and we are going to implement a research driven approach to reading that appears to hold the most promise for success nationwide. As for our students, don’t even think about dropping out. Your level of education determines the very quality of your life.