Who is graduating in Ohio? According to the America's Promise Alliance, approximately 1.2 million students drop out of American schools each year: about 7,000 every school day, or one every 26 seconds. The dropouts from the class of 2008 will cost Ohio almost $9.8 billion in lost wages over their lifetimes. The graduation rate here in Columbus, Ohio is 40.9 %. The key to increasing graduation rates is to stop working in isolation and to start working together. The communities in which these students live, and their society keeps them from finishing high school. According to state and independent sources, there are significant graduation gaps and inequities among students and their subgroups.

Graduation rates are a fundamental indicator of whether the nation's public school system is doing what is intended to do, that is enroll, engage, and educate the youth to be productive members of society. Since almost 90% of the highest-paying jobs require some postsecondary education, a high school diploma and the skills to succeed in college are essential. This is important to ensure that young people are well prepared to enter the workforce. Yet nationally, one-third of students, about 1.3 million each year, leave high school without their diploma. Particularly among poor and minority students. Information about graduation rates have been obscured by inaccurate data, calculations, reporting, and inadequate accountability systems. For graduation rates to be useful for parents, policy markers, and other concerned community member, they must be reliable and consistent.

A recent national study of the No Child Left Behind Act's impact by the Council on Education Policy reveals losses in achievement. 71% reported having reduced instructional time in at least one other subjects to make more time for reading and math. Since the passage of NCLB, 22% of elementary school leaders surveyed reported a decline in their music instructions. That effect may seem ironic since the legislation list the arts one of 10 "core academic subjects" of public education. It also requires schools to report student achievement test results for only two subjects, reading and math. With the emphasis on two subjects, the arts have suffered.



America's Promise Alliance has issued estimates that most experts agree are far more accurate than those of most government sources. In most states there is a wide variation between state-reported and independently reported rates. The editorial projects that further federal action is needed to clarify the role of graduation rates. Reports find America's largest cities struggle to keep majority of students in school with big disparities between urban and suburban graduation rates. Nationwide, nearly one of every three high school students drop out before graduating.

In conclusion, I urge other businesses to join the campaign to ensure that all young people earn a high school diploma and are ready not only for college, but to succeed in tomorrow's work force. It is essential that we address America's growing dropout crisis and prepare to raise the rates not only for Columbus but the United States. This article is to encourage teachers and students that we are all we have at becoming better and more efficient workers for our country. I quote "If you are not productive you will be destructive."

Calif Phillips is an intern with the Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism's Young Reporters Project.