Boston Public Schools dropout rate drops to lowest point in more than two decades

BOSTON – Dropout data released today shows the Boston Public Schools (BPS) currently has its lowest high school dropout rate since 1982. The data, released simultaneously with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education state-wide data, also shows for a third consecutive year, a continued downward trend in the BPS dropout rate. For the 2008/2009 school year the BPS dropout rate dropped to 6.4%, down from 7.2% in 2008. 

“We continue to work every day to put safeguards in place to keep our most vulnerable students from dropping out,” said Superintendent Carol R. Johnson. “This data shows movement in the right direction, but we will not begin to be satisfied until we have reached the target presented in our Acceleration Agenda: a dropout rate of 3% or lower by 2014.”

The data released today also shows the lowest annual dropout rates in 14 years among all racial and ethnic groups. 

“This is extremely good news for the students of our city and our community as a whole,” said Mayor Thomas M. Menino. “These numbers prove we are headed in the right direction and that Boston can continue to be a model for urban education in America. I will continue to support Superintendent Johnson as she and her team work to curb the dropout epidemic which has far-reaching consequences for the future of our city and our nation.”

BPS has recently made significant investments in the area of dropout prevention and re-engagement of dropouts. Earlier this school year, Mayor Menino and Superintendent Johnson announced the opening of the Boston Public Schools Re-engagement Center. The center, aimed at supporting students as they transition back to high school to earn a diploma, has already served more than 500 students this school year. 

The Re-Engagement Center is one of several strategies in Dr. Johnson’s “Graduation for All” initiative to ensure every BPS student completes high school prepared for college and career success. The district commissioned a 2007 study conducted by the Parthenon Group to provide an unprecedented analysis of the dropout challenge in Boston. As a result of the study, the district has launched several targeted efforts to reduce the dropout rate. These include:

• Investments to strengthen all BPS high schools: The district’s dropout prevention strategy includes a particular focus on offering more challenging coursework through expansion of Advanced Placement (AP) classes, dual enrollment, and other programs to prepare students for rigorous college-level work
• Credit recovery: The Parthenon Study confirmed that students who are just one or two courses from meeting graduation requirements, particularly if they are overage, are more likely to drop out than enroll in another year of school. Online credit recovery programs throughout the city, during the summer and school year, are giving those students a chance to complete their final classes and graduate in their senior year. Over the past two years, more than 400 students – most of them potential dropouts – have earned diplomas in the new summer commencement ceremony.
• Newcomers Academy: High school students who arrive in the U.S. with limited English proficiency are significantly more likely to drop out. Many students come to Boston during the school year having experienced an interruption in schooling in their home country. Newcomers Academy provides these students with a short-term transition program to help prepare them socially and academically for high school while they develop English skills.