Many of us were raised in the era where the California (CA) public school system was one of the best, if not the best overall in the USA. Those days, sadly, are gone, gone, gone.

A recent report by the California Department of Education estimates that 1 in 4 (24.2%) of the high school students failed to graduate with their class or move into another educational program to continue their high school education. The Sacramento Bee article gives more detail regarding the bad news.

Current numbers are more accurate because students who claimed they were transferring schools but in reality simply quit, are now tracked. Previously, this follow-up did not occur so reported dropout numbers were substantially lower.

We are doing our students a disservice by not teaching them. However, they also must take on the responsibility of learning. To expect a teacher to pour knowledge inside someone's head is foolish - learning doesn't work that way. Learning is work, not always fun and games. When we fail to teach our children what they need to know, we all lose. The two subsequent posts will address a system that worked in a very difficult school and the roles that all participants in this educational process play.

Labels: education