Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05
February 1, 2007 issue
State Releases 2005-06 Dropout Figures
Story by Kathleen McFadden
On Wednesday, the Department of Public Instruction released the school dropout rates for the 2005-06 school year.
Statewide, high schools in North Carolina reported 22,180 dropout events in 2005-06, a rate of 5.04 percent, a 6.3 percent increase over the 4.74 percent dropout rate reported for 2004-05. Last year’s high school dropout rate was the highest since the 2001-02 school year, when it was 5.25 percent.
Here’s a rundown of high school dropout date for the past six school years in Watauga and Avery counties. In Watauga, the dropout rate in 2005-06 showed a sharp rise over the rate from 2004-05, increasing from 3.33 to 4.84 percent. Avery, however, showed a decrease, with a dropout rate in 2005-06 of 5.21 percent, compared to 5.63 percent in 2004-05.
Watauga County Schools
2000-01: 76, 4.68%
2001-02: 93, 5.73%
2002-03: 65, 4.13%
2003-04: 67, 4.28%
2004-05: 51, 3.33%
2005-06: 76, 4.84%
Avery County Schools
2000-01: 32, 4.74%
2001-02: 26, 3.88%
2002-03: 27, 3.96%
2003-04: 35, 4.98%
2004-05: 40, 5.63%
2005-06: 38, 5.21%
The annual dropout rate has been measured every year since 1988-89, although reporting methods were changed in 1991 because of new federal guidelines and in 1999 because of changes in the state's definition of a dropout.
For the annual dropout rate calculation, a dropout is defined as a student who
• was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year, the reporting year
• was not enrolled on Day 20 of the current school year
• has not graduated from high school or completed a state or district approved educational program
• does not meet any of the following reporting exclusions: transferred to another public school district, private school, home school or state/district approved educational program, temporarily absent due to suspension or school-approved illness, or death.
Students who leave high school to enroll in a GED program are considered to have dropped out of school under the policy of the State Board of Education.