Dearborn School Graduation Rates Continue to Increase

DEARBORN, Michigan – For the second year in a row overall graduation rates have increased in the Dearborn Public Schools and continue to outpace state averages.  All three traditional high schools saw an increase in four year rates with Dearborn High at 89.9%, Fordson at 89.4% and Edsel Ford at 83.7%.

“We’re very proud of our students and applaud the hard work of our staff for bringing about these gains, commented Dearborn Public Schools Superintendent Mr. Brian Whiston.

“The work is not done, but it is important to recognize and celebrate these improvements that show our district is moving in the right direction and our students are being successful in the classroom,” Whiston added.

Just a few short years ago an eight point plan was put into place and is a key part to the District’s success.

Highlights of the plan include:

• Any student (K- 12) with 10% or more absences is contacted by Student Services.
• If parents and students do not respond to initial contact, a truancy officer or one of the high school liaisons will work with the family to resolve issues related to high absenteeism.
• Beginning in 2009, each school identified 10-15 students nearing or in a transition year (5, 6, 8 or 9) with multiple risk factors for dropping out and provided intensive support and interventions.
• The District works to enroll students in the extended day program to have them catch up with lost credits as quickly as possible in order to ensure on time graduation.
• The Graduation Intervention Specialists work directly with parents and teachers to support and encourage struggling students and get them on track for on time graduation.
• The Secondary Literacy and Math Coordinators work with teachers to improve instructional practice in order to improve student achievement.
• The combination of Ninth Grade Lead Teachers, Ninth Grade Academies, and the Link Crew program all contribute to making the 9^th grade transition year a success.
• Increasing high school graduation rates is a goal of the superintendent and top administrators thus ensuring system-wide accountability.

“The increases over the last few years are really the result of steps taken at the high school level to ensure students graduate on time, as we move forward we expect that actions being taken at the middle and elementary levels will provide us with consistently high graduation rates,” the Superintendent also commented.

Addressing truancy at all grade levels, parent contracts, and making sure all students are reading at grade level are just a few of the district wide programs that will have a long term impact on improving graduation rates and overall student success.

Comparison of 2011 through 2013 Four-Year Graduation Rates

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