State-Journal.com - "Dropout Factory" improves

Graduation rates are improving at Franklin County High School " deemed a "dropout factory" in 2007 " according to administrators at Tuesday's board of education meeting.

Franklin County Public School board member Larry Perkins asked about the rates after a presentation concerning recent No Child Left Behind scores given by Assistant Superintendent Chrissy Jones.

Jones said the statistics are a year behind, but all indicators point to a decrease in dropouts. Jones said the state hasn't released data and figures should be available in October.

"We are seeing a decrease at FCHS," Jones said.

FCPS Superintendent Harrie Buecker said trends are pointing in the right direction at the school.

"From our data, our graduation rate increased and our suspension rate decreased," Buecker said.

Last year FCHS was one of about 1,700 schools in the U.S. and one of 28 in Kentucky considered a "dropout factory" in an analysis released by the Associated Press.

A school qualifies as a "dropout factory" if its senior class is made up of 60 percent or fewer of the students who entered as freshmen.

FCHS had a retention rate of 60 percent, according to the study. Nationally about 70 percent of U.S. students graduate on time with a regular diploma.
The 2007 study was researched by Johns Hopkins University and based on data from the U.S. Education Department.

FCHS implemented several strategies last year to combat the high rates, including targeting freshman and focusing on providing emotional and physical support for students. FCPS also created an alternative to suspension program at the Educational Development Center located on the side of the school.

Instead of missing class work to serve out-of-school suspensions, EDC Alternatives to Suspension gives students an opportunity to catch up with class work with the help of teachers.

Jones, at Tuesday's meeting, also discussed various improvement strategies for the schools that failed to meet NCLB annual measurable objectives.

Those included identifying and working with students who fall behind, working with principals to provide support needed at the schools and differentiating programs at various schools that failed target goals.

"We're trying to differentiate between schools just like we ask teachers to do for their students," Jones said.

FCPS will receive nearly $22,000 back from the construction of Hearn Elementary School at Copperleaf because of change orders on the project.

The board approved two orders from the Sherman-Carter Barnhart " the architects of the school " totaling more than $21,000.

The refund comes from a variety of minor issues the district originally agreed to pay for at the start of construction, according to FCPS Assistant Superintendent Charley Preston.

The sum will come off the remaining balance owed to Sherman-Carter Barnhart, which stands at $488,586 after a payment of $602,731 at the meeting.

The board also appointed Shellie Jones as board secretary, replacing Katrina Kingman, who left the district to work for the Kentucky School Board Association.