State’s high school drop-out rate on the rise

JACKSON — State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tom Burnham announced that Mississippi’s dropout rate for the class of 2010 is 17 percent. The previous year’s dropout rate was 16.8 percent.

The graduation rate changed slightly with the current rate at 71.4 percent, compared to last year’s graduation rate of 71.6 percent.

The completion rate for the class of 2010 is 78.6 percent, compared to the previous year’s rate of 79.3 percent.

Students are tracked and figures are calculated through the Mississippi Student Information System, which depends on self-reported data provided by school districts. Recently the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), in collaboration with members of the Mississippi Legislature and the Office of State Auditor Stacey Pickering, placed more accountability on school districts to verify the data provided is accurate.

MDE is re-initiating its dropout prevention efforts as it strives to reduce the state’s dropout rate to 13 percent by 2013.

To view the class of 2010 graduation, dropout and completion rates, visit MDE’s website at www.mde.k12.ms.us/Dropout_Prevention/rate_information_2.html .

Source: Mississippi Department of Education