Romero´s Dropout Prevention Report Bill Passes Senate
California Political Desk
June 04, 2009
SACRAMENTO — A bill addressing California´s dropout crisis has passed the Senate on a 33-1 vote and will next go to the Assembly Committee on Education. SB 651 co-authored by Senator Gloria Romero, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, and Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg would require a yearly report highlighting early warning indicators of students at high risk of dropping out of school.
"California once led the nation in high school graduates. Now we lead the nation in dropouts," said Senator Romero. "This is an unconscionable situation for our students and unsustainable for the future economic vitality of the state."
According to the California Department of Education, about one out of five students never graduates from high school. For some student groups, such as Latinos, African Americans, English Learners and special education students, those numbers are even higher. One out of four Latino students and nearly one out of every three African American students drop out. Dropouts are more likely to commit a crime, be incarcerated and require public assistance at some point in their lives. Further, each annual cohort of about 120,000 dropouts cost the state $46.4 billion over their lifetimes.
"In these challenging times we have to find ways for our education system to do more with less," said Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. "This bill makes better use of existing data to paint a more complete picture of the dropout problem in California – not just how many students have left school, but how many are showing clear early warning signs. A comprehensive annual report will help our schools focus on at-risk students before it is too late."
SB 651 builds upon California´s new longitudinal student information system called CALPADS, which collects significant data about student achievement and progress toward graduation. When reported annually in an accessible format, the data on school dropouts will:
Provide early warning indicators of students at high risk of dropping out;
Provide more accurate dropout rates; and
Assist educators in more strategic efforts to prevent dropouts.
SB 651 would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide an annual report on these predictors and dropouts to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education. The report would provide smarter use of the existing data so that action could be taken prior to a student dropping out.
"We don´t need more statistics on casualties," said Senator Romero. "SB 651 will unmask the trends behind student achievement gaps that plague our system so we can work to prevent them and help every student to succeed."
"California once led the nation in high school graduates. Now we lead the nation in dropouts," said Senator Romero. "This is an unconscionable situation for our students and unsustainable for the future economic vitality of the state."
According to the California Department of Education, about one out of five students never graduates from high school. For some student groups, such as Latinos, African Americans, English Learners and special education students, those numbers are even higher. One out of four Latino students and nearly one out of every three African American students drop out. Dropouts are more likely to commit a crime, be incarcerated and require public assistance at some point in their lives. Further, each annual cohort of about 120,000 dropouts cost the state $46.4 billion over their lifetimes.
"In these challenging times we have to find ways for our education system to do more with less," said Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg. "This bill makes better use of existing data to paint a more complete picture of the dropout problem in California – not just how many students have left school, but how many are showing clear early warning signs. A comprehensive annual report will help our schools focus on at-risk students before it is too late."
SB 651 builds upon California´s new longitudinal student information system called CALPADS, which collects significant data about student achievement and progress toward graduation. When reported annually in an accessible format, the data on school dropouts will:
Provide early warning indicators of students at high risk of dropping out;
Provide more accurate dropout rates; and
Assist educators in more strategic efforts to prevent dropouts.
SB 651 would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide an annual report on these predictors and dropouts to the Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education. The report would provide smarter use of the existing data so that action could be taken prior to a student dropping out.
"We don´t need more statistics on casualties," said Senator Romero. "SB 651 will unmask the trends behind student achievement gaps that plague our system so we can work to prevent them and help every student to succeed."
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