Student dropout rate seems to have fallen

By Linda Shaw
Seattle Times staff reporter

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The estimated dropout rate for Washington high-school students was 6.7 percent during the 2002-03 school year, down from 7.7 percent in 2001-02, the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction reported yesterday.

But some of the difference has to do with improved data.

The percent of students who graduate on time — within four years — was 66 percent, the same as the 2001-02 rate, based on best estimates. The percent of students who continued in high school for more than four years was about 10 percent, OSPI said.

The 2002-03 figures are the latest available.

Dropout and graduation figures have long been suspect because school districts across the nation have not done a good job of collecting data. But Pete Bylsma, director of research and evaluation for OSPI, said that Washington school districts did a better job this year than ever before.

"This is probably a pretty good estimate of the on-time graduation rate, which is scary. If only two-thirds of students are graduating on time, that's not good enough," he said.

The figures also show a significant decline in the dropout rate among African-American students. Their estimated dropout rate for the class of 2002 was 54 percent, compared with 36 percent for the class of 2003.

That change also may be due partly to better reporting, which means it may be a better reflection of reality, Bylsma said.

Linda Shaw: 206-464-2359 or lshaw@seattletimes.com

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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