Guilford County Schools 2007-08 Dropout Rate Below State Average

The North Carolina State Department of Public Instruction released its 2007-08 Annual Dropout Report today. In it, Guilford County Schools’ (GCS) dropout rate of 3.31 percent is not only significantly below the state average of 4.97 percent, but it is also the lowest among the largest districts in the state. Last year, the dropout rate for GCS was 2.99 percent.

“I am pleased to see that the dropout rate for GCS has remained low,” said Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green. “However, there was a small increase over last year, which is something we need to keep an eye on. I believe that all of our students have the capacity to be excellent. As a district, we will not be satisfied until no student drops out of school and all students graduate from high school within four years.”

GCS’ high school dropout rate has almost been cut in half since the 1999-2000 year, when it was 5.97 percent. The district is a state and national leader in the middle college high school movement, locating six middle college high schools for disconnected students on local college and university campuses. The schools form the foundation of “Zero Guilford,” the district’s national award-winning dropout prevention and recovery program.

Statewide, data analysis found that 32 percent of all students drop out during the ninth-grade year, 25 percent drop out in the 10th grade and 23 percent drop out in the 11th grade. Students report a variety of reasons for dropping out, but attendance is the most-often reported reason and enrollment in a community college program is the second most-often reported reason. For more information, visit http://www.ncpublicschools.org/research/dropout/reports/.