Dropout rates down

• By MARSHA SILLS
• Advocate Acadiana bureau
• Published: Nov 24, 2008 - Page: 2B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LAFAYETTE — While the state eyes how it can quickly improve its high school graduation rates and reduce the number of dropouts, alternative programs in Lafayette Parish show success at keeping students in the classroom.

In the 2006-07 school year, 635 students dropped out of high school in Lafayette Parish, according to figures reported to the Louisiana Department of Education.

That same year, 1,485 students enrolled in the school system’s General Educational Development certificate programs — more commonly known as the GED program — with 175 or nearly 12 percent of those students earning their certificate or equivalency diploma, according to Lafayette Parish Schools data.

This past year, 1,258 students enrolled in GED programs with 137 students or nearly 11 percent completing.

Statewide,  73.3 percent or 7,211 of those who completed a GED program earned a diploma. But the number of GED earners represents less than 1 percent of residents without a high school education. The statewide data was published as part of the American Council on Education’s GED Testing Service 2007 Statistical Report.

The school system provides adult education courses for those who haven’t completed high school, but it also offers alternatives for students who aren’t excelling in a traditional high school environment to prevent students from giving up and dropping out.

The parish’s Charter High School students move at their own pace and complete their course requirements to earn a traditional high school diploma.

Another program, called Options, is designed for students who aren’t on grade level or who have failed promotion tests to stay enrolled in their home school while preparing for the GED. Students in this program take academic and vocational classes at the W.D. Smith Career Center as they prepare for the GED.

The Options program targets struggling students who want to stay in high school, but feel hindered in a traditional high school setting, 

“I think if the kids didn’t have our program, they’d drop out,” said Nancy Romero, a teacher in the Options program.

The program provides smaller class sizes and melds academic and vocational courses.

“They do way more work here than they did in high school,” Romero said as she peered over a student’s shoulder while he worked on language-building exercises on a computer.

“We sure do more work in here than in high school,” agreed Mike Provost, 18.