|
By Cara Kelly
The Watauga County Board of Education has made another step
towards possibly improving the graduation rate at Watauga High
School by unanimously approving a new program after a first
reading in the October monthly meeting.
The Pioneer Core Diploma Program is specifically designed for
students who are facing difficulties in completing the 28 credits
necessary for graduation from WHS, and is part of a larger initiative
by the state of North Carolina and Watauga County to reduce
dropout rates.
“The dropout rate has always been a concern in any school
system, as well as in Watauga County and at Watauga High School,”
Marshall Gasperson, director of career and technical education,
safe schools and student services, said.
“So what we’ve done in the last year and a half is
look at those students who aren’t graduating or have taken
five years to do so, and look at what has caused those students
to dropout all together or take a little longer.”
In their research, Gasperson and Watauga County Schools staff
found several trends.
“One of the biggest reasons we found is related to attendance
issues. Maybe the [student] got sick, a family member got sick,
or they missed days, which caused them to fail a class. It could
be that the kid just made some bad decisions and didn’t
come to school for three weeks,” Gasperson said.
Although the school system currently uses programs such as credit
recovery, Gasperson, superintendent Marty Hemric and the school
board wish to expand the existing resources.
“We are looking to help students be successful instead
of penalizing them,” he said.
“Dr. Hemric and I look at it as more of developing a success
plan instead of making a dropout prevention plan.”
The Pioneer Core Diploma Program allows students at-risk for
dropping out of school to earn their high school diploma from
the state by successfully completing the state-required 21 credits,
as opposed to the local requirement of 28 credits.
The program will be applied on a case-by-case basis for students
who meet certain qualifications including environmental, psychological
or physical challenges, such as: teen pregnancy, chronic substance
abuse, depression, social delays, emotional delays, anger management
problems and judicial problems.
“There are all types of reasons that cause students not
to complete high school. Maybe there is a family issue at home
or they have been in trouble,” Gasperson said. “There
is no one thing that is going to solve everything so we want
to have all of these varying approaches.”
The new program will not apply to students wishing to graduate
early or who do not meet the aforementioned criteria.
Gasperson believes the incentive of graduating with their original
class level will inspire students who have failed required courses.
“So maybe a student is behind and won’t graduate until
they are 19, then this is an incentive to possibly be able to
graduate with their class,” he said. “They are going
to have to get what they need to get to get the minimum high
school diploma but it is an incentive.”
Gasperson and the board said they believe the students who qualify
for the program will be more encouraged to complete their degree
from WHS, as opposed to earning their GED later in life.
“The key thing is that we want to graduate the most students
we can from WHS. It is better for the students, the community
and the high school,” he said.
Although policies under the federal No Child Left Behind initiative
grade schools on a variety of factors, including graduation
rates, North Carolina schools must battle state laws in an effort
to stay competitive under national policies.
A state law permits students ages 16 and older to legally withdrawl
from school with parental consent.
Watauga High School currently allows students to with drawl
on the first and the 15th of the month, and requires students
to complete an “extensive exit process.”
During the exit process, counselors and administration meet
with students to discuss options and career choices after leaving
school. Their aim is to convince students of the benefits of
a high school degree.
While developing the initiative, students completing the exit
process were informed of the potential alternative.
“Their response was that they asked us to contact them
if the alternative was passed,” Gasperson said.
In addition to determining student reaction, Gasperson and co-workers
analyzed programs established in other counties of the state.
In his research, Gasperson found several other counties using
alternative schools to retain student attendance. In most alternative
schools considered, the requirement for graduation was equivalent
to the state’s standard.
“Most systems with a true alternative school have had something
like this in place for a long period of time,” he said.
“In Charlotte, if you go to alternative school, you are
automatically placed on this track.”
Board members unanimously supported the program.
“I think it’s a great policy. It requires a student
to meet state standard for graduation and allows those students
that maybe due to one of these reasons have gotten a little
behind to still get their diploma, and can at the same time
lower our dropout rate,” board members Ron Henries said.
“I think it is beneficial for everyone around and it is
a great policy.”
Fellow board member Steve Combs agreed, adding the program is
a “win-win situation.”
“It may even encourage them to further their education
when they leave here so that is a win for them down the road.”
|
Get Firefox