While California is in the midst of an educational crisis with the high-school dropout rate reaching astronomical proportions, local Valley schools prove to be exceptions to the rule.

 

Groundbreaking new research out of the University of California at Santa Barbara, suggests that the future economy and social welfare of the state depends on viable solutions. High school dropouts are more likely to be sick, on welfare and involved in criminal activities.

 

The California Dropout Research Project, a series of studies and reports, is the first of its kind to estimate total economic losses from high school dropouts consequences and proven interventions. Behind this massive undertaking was the “desire to address the problem,” said Project Director, Russell Rumberger. The 14-month project synthesizes new and existing research that will eventually be compiled into a state policy agenda draft to improve California graduation rates.

 

According to policy brief number 1 of the project, in 2005, almost one in four California adults ages 18 to 64, had not graduated from high school. Dropout rates are especially salient among Blacks and Hispanics, one in three fail to graduate.

 

“Students need to be seen more,” said Dr. Lorraine Tullis, principal of Refugio High School. “They are getting lost out there in the big world.”

 

Dropouts cost California taxpayers $46.4 billion for each group of 120,000 20-year-olds, who never complete high school. A substantial amount of this money is spent on health services because less educated workers are more susceptible to suffer from heart conditions, diabetes and a host of other diseases.

 

They are also prone to behaviors, like smoking that contribute to ill health. The probability for incarceration is higher among dropouts and a substantial amount of money is spent on the criminal justice system. According to the report, high school graduation reduces crime by 20 percent for murder, rape and other violent crimes; by 11 percent for property crime; and by 12 percent for drug related offenses. Dropouts are also a heavy burden on the welfare system as more than two-thirds of them will rely on food stamps and welfare.

 

Policy brief number 2 focuses on the benefits of improving the graduation rate in California, as well as some interventions that have demonstrable success; reducing class size, pre-school programs and peer tutoring. The report says the benefits of investing in education interventions to raise the graduation rate not only benefit the economy, but also reduce a sizeable burden on taxpayers and government expenditures.

 

“Results of the study have been distributed to every secondary school superintendent in the state, who can then share them with local principals,” Rumberger said.

 

Santa Ynez Valley High School and Refugio High School may prove to be the exception to the project results, as both boast very low drop out rates.

 

“Almost all students come here with the expectation of graduating from high school,” said Norm Clevenger, principal of Santa Ynez Valley High School. Clevenger noted that 92 percent of last year’s senior class, are expected to go on to a two or four-year college. Clevenger credits part of this success to the community.

 

 “They are very aware of the value of a good education, and the high level of parent involvement allows us to provide an extremely high quality education opportunity for our students,” he said.

A few intervention programs are in place at the high school in case a student is at risk of not graduating.

 

“The school has a parent portal where parents can keep tabs on how their students are doing in school,” said Jerry Swanitz, vice-principal of Santa Ynez Valley High School. “Healthy Start also offers a range of social services including medical and dental referrals, Medi-Cal insurance referrals, tutoring and personal counseling.” 

 

If a student starts falling behind at Santa Ynez Valley High School, they are usually moved to Refugio High School. Tullis says that the majority of students at Refugio have fallen behind on their credits, moved a lot, or are English language learners who have a difficult time with their new lexicon. But, Tullis added, “I don’t have any drop outs. We honor the students as individuals.”

 

Eighty percent of students at Refugio are Hispanic, and all are likely to graduate, according to Tullis. But, one obstacle in their way, especially for the English language learners is the California High School Exit Exam, or CAHSEE. 2007 is the second year that the state has required students to obtain a passing grade on the exam in order to graduate. Tullis says several factors are in place to ensure student success. Those are low student to teacher ratio, individualized help, credited teachers and new technology. Some of these factors are also listed as viable interventions in the UCSB report. The two policy briefs just released from UCSB are only part of 13 grand-scale reports from the California Research Project, which will be released individually over the coming months. They will include further data on incidence, consequences causes and solutions.