CHILDREN AT RISK Identifies Schools in Texas with Lowest Graduation Rates

HOUSTON, Oct. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- There are nearly 1.5 million students enrolled in public high schools in Texas, but far too many are failing to graduate. In fact, nearly 65,000 Texas students did not graduate from high school in six years, according to a new graduation rate analysis by CHILDREN AT RISK. The average graduation rate across schools in Texas is 86%; however, this rate varies greatly by school. Many schools are doing quite well: over 200 schools (211 total) have graduation rates of 95% or higher, including a number of high-poverty schools (75% or more economically disadvantaged students), such as Early College High School (99%; Houston ISD), PSJA Thomas Jefferson T-STEM Early College (99%; Pharr-San Jaun-Alamo ISD), Eastwood Academy (99%; Houston ISD), School of Health Professions (99%; Dallas ISD), YES Prep – East End (98%; YES Prep Public Schools), and IDEA College Prep (98%; IDEA Public Schools).

By contrast, other schools in Texas are leaving nearly 40% of their students without high school diplomas. These are primarily concentrated in large urban school districts. In fact, 6 out of the 10 schools with the lowest graduation rates are in Houston ISD.

"These graduation rates should be a wakeup call for everyone," said Dr. Bob Sanborn, president and CEO of CHILDREN AT RISK. "Improvement is needed in many schools throughout Texas. Our teachers, parents and administrators must work together to ensure all students graduate from high school so they have the opportunity for future success."

Graduation rates are becoming more significant as post-high school education becomes increasingly more important. Looking forward at the progressively automated workforce, the McKinsey Global Institute found that jobs requiring less than a high school diploma will have a 55% chance of being automated, much greater than that of jobs requiring a college degree. This means that in a school where under 60% of the students are graduating, over 40% of the students are leaving the public school system with a decreasing potential of joining the workforce and contributing to the economy.

Follow this link to see the complete analysis and methodology: https://bit.ly/2DUnS5f

SOURCE CHILDREN AT RISK

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