Most Alachua high schools post higher graduation rates
Santa Fe High, which kept its rate at 82 percent, was the only one that didn't improve.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 18, 2010 at 12:17 p.m.
The high school graduation rate in Alachua County rose slightly in 2010 and nearly every high school posted gains, according to Alachua County Public Schools.
The overall rate rose by 3 percentage points to 83 percent in 2010 for the district's seven high schools.
Data released Thursday by the state Department of Education shows the district's graduation rate at 76.4 percent. That figure includes not just the seven high schools, but also students in alternative settings such as juvenile detention. The dropout rate dropped to 2.2 percent during the 2009-2010 school year compared with 2.6 percent in 2008-2009.
Professional Academies Magnet at Loften had the most improved graduation rate of any high school, with a 16-point increase to 59 percent. Both Hawthorne Middle/High School and Newberry High School posted nearly 10-point gains. Buchholz, Eastside and Gainesville high schools all improved fewer than 5 percentage points, while Santa Fe High remained at 82 percent.
"Anything that goes up is good news," said Sandy Hollinger, deputy superintendent for instruction and student services.
Florida posted a 79 percent graduation rate, up nearly 3 points from last year. That figure includes all high school students.
The graduation rate among black students went up from 64.9 percent to 68.4 percent.
Remaining flat isn't enough for Santa Fe principal Bill Herschleb.
"I wish I knew why there wasn't a significant increase," he said.
He believes that Santa Fe's rate for 2009-2010 is actually higher, in part due to students earning their diplomas in September, after the state reporting cut-off date.
Santa Fe has particular challenges, Herschleb said, including its large attendance zone. Because so many students live far away from the school, it makes it difficult to get participation in after-school programs.
"We have tried to offer programs to help kids pass the FCAT, like reading tutoring, and had very, very little participation," he said.
Gainesville High School showed a small gain this year, smaller than administrators would have liked, said Principal Wiley Dixon.
"We worked pretty hard on it," he said, including ramped up interaction between counselors and parents. "I really think it will be better this coming year."
The district's credit retrieval program has helped students earn credit for failed classes. Students at GHS struggle mostly with math, he said.
The six-period school day provides no room for error as students try to fulfill graduation requirements. Students must earn all 24 possible credits to get their diploma; in the past, they only had to earn 24 of 28 possible credits.
"There is just no wiggle room for students any more," Dixon said.
Schools are trying to catch students young in order to avoid a scramble toward graduation senior year, officials said. Targeted eighth-graders attend the Ninth Grade Prep Academy at Loften High School to help them earn some credits ahead of schedule while catching up on their required middle school credits.
GHS is also shifting its focus to ninth-graders, Dixon said, in order to help them start well.
Hollinger said that while the graduation rate increase was welcome, more needs to be done.
"Our overarching goal is that every single student in Alachua County will get a high school diploma," she said.
Rates doubled for the district's two schools for disabled students. A. Quinn Jones School increased to 44 percent from 22 percent, while Sidney Lanier School rose from 36 percent to 83 percent.
Improving the graduation rate is achieved by identifying troubled groups, like overage students and those with excessive absences, and developing programs to help them.
"Who's not graduating is our important question," Hollinger said.
Contact Jackie Alexander at 338-3166.
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