The sparring continues over graduation rates.

The Journal reports, link, that the sparring continues in the
effort to place the blame for the release of "inaccurate"
graduation rates for New Mexico high schools. Districts
argue that they had corrections in the hands of the NMPED
in time to be included in the calculations which were published
in August. The NMPED says they did not.

I am surprised that there is no record one way or the other.
Perhaps somebody should start keeping one.

NMPED Secretary Veronica Garcia is changing her tune a bit; she's already passed the problem and looking at the future.

"The bottom line is we still have a graduation problem. Even with the increase in graduation rates, we have a problem statewide," she said. "Our sense of urgency needs to continue."

In "good ol' boy" speak, that is normally a signal of guilt and a need to redirect the discussion. "Oops, my bad. Now let's talk about the future."

The Journal reports that a number of districts statewide,
will see higher rates than formerly announced by the NMPED.

The Journal is no longer reporting that APS' graduation rate
went up at least in some part, due to their decision to drop
a number of demonstrably "at risk" students from the
calculations.

The Journal reports that Rose-Ann McKernan, Executive Director of Instruction and Accountability at APS said,

"The change in the graduation rate does not reflect a significant difference in the number of graduating students, but rather in the overall number of students tracked.
... many students should not have been counted because they were not first-time ninth-graders."

Perhaps all of the other districts in the state that will see
higher graduation rates than formerly released, have also
seen their rates climb as the result of identifying students
who have already failed to pass the ninth grade, and then
removing them from the calculation of ninth graders who
will not graduate.

APS has offered no explanation or defense for dropping
students at risk (of not graduating) from the calculations
of the risk of students not graduating.

I suspect that any other district that used this methodology
to raise their graduation rates will have the same response.

As opposed to answering legitimate questions about the public interests, candidly, forthrightly and honestly.




photo Mark Bralley