Charlotte Observer columnist Fannie Flono offers an overview of graduation rate differences among racial and ethnic subgroups, and based on this data, she concludes that “We – as a community and a state – must do a lot more to make sure all students get that diploma.”
According to Flono,
In Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, the challenge to boost the graduation rate is even tougher when you look at the rates by demographics. CMS made welcome progress this year – moving from a 69.9 percent graduation rate last year to 73.6 percent this year. But it trails the state in graduation rates for most all categories except for whites, where the rate was 86.6 percent
But there is more to this debate than graduation rates. A diploma does not mean much if the child has not mastered basic literacy and math skills. Indeed, community college remediation rates for CMS schools during the 2008-2009 school year were unacceptable.
School | Graduation Rate | One or more remedial course(s) |
David W Butler | 80% | 68% |
E E Waddell | 59% | 81% |
East Mecklenburg | 64% | 63% |
Garinger | 67% | 76% |
Harding Univ | 82% | 87% |
Hawthorne | 41% | 78% |
Hopewell | 75% | 80% |
Independence | 67% | 80% |
Myers Park | 80% | 55% |
North Mecklenburg | 78% | 100% |
Northwest Arts | 74% | 68% |
Phillip Berry Academy | 82% | 70% |
Providence | 87% | 64% |
South Mecklenburg | 80% | 75% |
West Charlotte | 55% | 86% |
West Mecklenburg | 56% | 76% |
Zebulon B Vance | 60% | 79% |