High School Dropout Rates Down 25% in State

High school dropout rates have fallen by about 25% over five years, according to a state report to be released today, with Orange County figures reflecting that trend.

According to data from the California Department of Education, the statewide rate dipped from 4.4% in the 1994-95 school year to 3.9% in 1995-96, the most recent numbers available. Orange County’s dropout rate remained the same between the two years. Even so, the county’s dropout rate is more than 25% lower than the statewide average and has been falling over the past several years.

The decrease has been particularly noticeable in Anaheim Union High School District, where the dropout rate was nearly cut in half within one year, falling to 0.8% last year. That rate also is one-fourth the district’s dropout rate of five years ago.

Tustin Unified School District posted even more dramatic numbers. The dropout rate fell in 1995-96 to one-fourth of what it had been the year before and one-sixth of the rate in 1991-92.

But that good news was offset somewhat by increases in three districts: Huntington Beach, Fullerton and particularly Santa Ana, where the dropout rate increased by more than 40% in one year and reached nearly double the state average.

“They’ve gone up rather markedly,” Santa Ana Unified Assistant Supt. Alfonsina Davies said. “We will investigate and try to ascertain why this happened and try to prevent this.”

Under state regulations, a student who misses 45 days of school and does not re-enroll in school, either in the same or a new district, is classified as a dropout. If a district loses track of a student after he or she moves, that case is also considered a dropout.

In some Orange County districts with declining dropout rates, administrators credited the trend to a variety of alternative education programs and advanced technology that has helped track student attendance.

The Anaheim district invests about $35,000 annually into trying to ensure its students go to school.

For instance, Anaheim parents receive an automated telephone call when their children are absent from school. If the situation worsens, a district outreach worker visits the family at home.

The dropout rate in the Los Angeles Unified School District fell about 13% in 1996, marking the first significant improvement in three years. But at 9.3%, the rate is still more than twice the statewide average.

“You will not hear that we feel good about it yet,” said Assistant Supt. Sally Coughlin. “We’re still losing far too many kids.”

Statewide, the dropout rate was 6.6% for African American students and 5.6% for Latino students. For white students, the rate was 2.4% and for Asian Americans it was 2%. In all categories, females were less likely to drop out than males.

“We can be proud of the gains we have made,” said state Supt. of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin. “At the same time, we still need to do more . . . particularly when you realize that the one-year rate carried out over four years means that one out of six freshmen will not graduate from high school with his or her class.”

Education experts say dropping out generally is related to poverty, to families that move frequently, to poor academic performance and to the lack of a strong bond with a caring adult--whether it’s a parent, a teacher or someone else. Students seem to respond well to high expectations and to opportunities to get involved in sports or other activities.

Times staff writer Richard Lee Colvin contributed to this report.

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Dropouts Droop

High school dropout rates have declined in most Orange County districts, and statewide. Here’s a look at the trend:

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School District 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 1994-95 Anaheim Union High 3.4% 3.0% 3.7% 1.1% Brea Olinda Unified 1.3% 1.9% 1.3% 1.5% Capistrano Unified 2.3% 1.4% 1.1% 2.0% Fullerton Joint Union High 2.8% 2.3% 1.5% 1.2% Garden Grove Unified 5.4% 3.1% 2.3% 2.0% Huntington Beach Union High 2.4% 2.7% 2.8% 1.9% Irvine Unified 3.1% 0.8% 0.7% 0.5% Laguna Beach Unified 1.6% 1.5% 1.0% 0.7% Los Alamitos Unified 3.0% 2.2% 2.0% 1.3% Newport-Mesa Unified 2.6% 3.2% 3.6% 2.0% Orange Unified 5.1% 4.7% 3.5% 3.2% Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified 1.2% 2.6% 0.8% 1.7% Saddleback Valley Unified 2.0% 1.8% 1.5% 2.2% Santa Ana Unified 7.0% 9.1% 7.8% 5.4% Tustin Unified 2.4% 2.3% 1.9% 1.6% Orange County total 3.7% 3.5% 3.2% 2.7% State total 5.2% 5.0% 4.9% 4.4%

School District 1995-96 Anaheim Union High 0.8% Brea Olinda Unified 0.7% Capistrano Unified 1.5% Fullerton Joint Union High 1.3% Garden Grove Unified 1.6% Huntington Beach Union High 2.2% Irvine Unified 0.5% Laguna Beach Unified 0.5% Los Alamitos Unified 1.3% Newport-Mesa Unified 1.7% Orange Unified 2.7% Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified 1.0% Saddleback Valley Unified 2.0% Santa Ana Unified 7.6% Tustin Unified 0.4% Orange County total 2.7% State total 3.9%

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Source: California Department of Education