From the Smithfield Herald Friday:
We’re optimists in Johnston County.
An interesting comment from the superintendent:
[Johnston Superintendent Anthony] Parker said he hoped the state would also count students over 18 who leave high school to earn a GED. Parker said other states do factor fifth-year students and GED transfers into their graduation rates.
Really?
Are we ever going to get to a simple definition of who graduated from the state-sponsored schools, and who didn’t? If a student leaves without completing requirements for a diploma, then they’ve left. Whether you call it a dropout or transfer or whatever, don’t give them some ex post facto designation as if they never chose to exit the public school system.
Or can private schools claim students who transfered to public high school as their own graduates, too?
