Tuesday, December 5, 2017

High School Graduation: The Four Year Fallacy


Sent to Education Week, Dec 5, 2017.
The improved high school graduation figure announced in “U.S. Graduation Rate Hits New All-Time High, With Gains in All Student Groups” (Dec. 4) is based on graduating in four years, or graduating "with your class." 
Announcing graduation rates based only those who graduate "on time" sends the message that there is something wrong with taking longer.  During the depression, the father of education expert Susan Ohanian went to high school every other year, working to help support the family when he wasn't in school.  

Taking longer than the usual four years during hard times is often an indication of persistence and determination, not laziness. 

Stephen Krashen
Professor Emeritus
University of Southern California
Visiting Scholar, Texas A&M International University, Laredo, Texas

original article: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2017/12/US_graduation_rate_new_all_time_high_gains_in_all_groups.html



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