Graduating from high school has always been an important part of the coming of age process—one that has the power to greatly affect the lives of young men and women. A high school diploma opens the door to college, to better jobs, to higher pay, and even to finding a husband or wife, raising a family in a stable environment, and teaching children to also graduate. It is no secret that many of the states have high school graduation rates that are less than desirable, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) has made the changes necessary to have more students walk across the stage at the end of their senior year. But is it enough? Has the school board done enough?

The 2009-2010 school year saw a graduation rate of 69.9 percent. The 2010-2011 school year increased this by 3.7 percent, ushering 73.6 percent of its senior students across the stage and to a brighter future. But what of those other 26.4 percent who do not end their senior year with a diploma in hand? What do their futures hold, and how are they expected to react? Many of these students drop out of school for a variety of reasons, but some of them are held back and repeat the year.

Though CMS did make improvements in the graduation rate of this year’s seniors, it is a bit disheartening to look at the break down of these rates by demographic. For example, there is an 11.3 percent difference between the percentage of low income and not low-income students who graduated. Aside from differences in race, gender, and disability, this is a very telling statistic that raises a question that has been on the minds of educators since, well, the beginning of education: How can an educational system provide equal advantages to each student, no matter their location, socio-economic status, gender, or race?

Low income areas have long been known for having under-funded schools. Movies have been made about new teachers recognizing the need for resources at these schools—be them material goods or an attitude that shows that they really do care—yet the unacceptable graduation rate for low income students still remains.

Putting the blame for the entire issue on the shoulders of the school board is not possible, as there are many other reasons why students cannot graduate on time. From having to drop out of high school to work and help support their families to not being able to afford the supplies they need to excel, low income students face a series of challenges that those in other socio-economic groups may not ever have to face.

So, the question should not lie in where to place the blame—it should lie in what CMS is going to do about it. Fair funding is a wonderful idea, but with so many budget cuts there is already not enough to go around. As the political, economic, and social climates continue to evolve, this is certainly an issue that people should remain aware of and committed to improving.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2011/10/21/2709432/peeking-behind-the-graduation.html