Log in

Scottsdale Schools ranks in upper echelon for graduation, dropout rates

Posted 1/14/20

Ensuring all individual learners reach their full potential is the core purpose of Scottsdale Unified School District and numbers show it is excelling in that field in one particular category: graduation.

You must be a member to read this story.

Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.


Already have an account? Log in to continue.

Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here

Otherwise, follow the link below to join.

To Our Valued Readers –

Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.

For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.

Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.

Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.

Sincerely,
Charlene Bisson, Publisher, Independent Newsmedia

Please log in to continue

Log in
I am anchor

Scottsdale Schools ranks in upper echelon for graduation, dropout rates

Posted

Ensuring all individual learners reach their full potential is the core purpose of Scottsdale Unified School District and numbers show it is excelling in that field in one particular category: graduation.

SUSD high schools had graduation rates well above the state rate of 78.36% with all but one high school having a graduation rate higher than 90%. In regards to dropout rates, four of the district’s high schools are below the state average of 3.93% with the last high school hovering around that rate.

Data is from azed.gov and represents four-year graduation rates from 2018 as well as dropout rates from fiscal year 2019. The state education department considers a student a dropout if they were enrolled in school at any time during the school year but were not enrolled by the end of the year and did not transfer, graduate or die.

Specifically, SUSD high schools saw the following graduation and dropout rates:

  • Arcadia: 91.8% graduation and 2.79% dropout rates;
  • Chaparral: 95.82% graduation and 0.44% dropout rates;
  • Coronado: 85% graduation and 3.95% dropout rates;
  • Desert Mountain: 94.34% graduation and 0.86% dropout rates; and
  • Saguaro: 92.83% graduation and 1.59% dropout rates.

“We are thrilled that Scottsdale Unified schools are trending better than state averages when it comes to graduating more students and seeing fewer students who drop out,” Amy Bolton, SUSD chief marketing and public information officer, said via email.

“Since there are many factors that go into the ultimate success of our students, it can be difficult to pinpoint one thing.”
The Independent reached out to Assistant Superintendent, Secondary Education Dr. Milissa Sackos as well as Coronado principal Amy Palatucci and Desert Mountain principal Dr. Lisa Hirsch but was directed to Ms. Bolton for comment.

Ms. Bolton outlined several factors she believes leads to the high numbers. They included the support of the community, career and high education preparation programs, SUSD leadership and the district’s online and summer learning opportunities.

For Governing Board President Allyson Beckham, the key to success may be a bit deeper.

“From national research, I know that economic opportunity plays a large role in a student’s success,” she said via email. “However, it’s not the only component. SUSD students’ success is also a testament to our students’ motivation, parents valuing education and educators’ effectiveness.”

Trends and progress

While SUSD high schools have largely stayed above state averages in graduation rates, those high schools have been in flux over the past five years. In particular, four of the five schools saw five-year lows in 2016 with Saguaro seeing its five-year low in 2015.

The following year, however, all five schools made significant jumps in graduation rates, increasing at least a three percentage points. This all happened while the state graduation rate dropped.

One school to make a considerable improvement was Coronado. Though ranking last in the district in graduation rate, the school improved from a rate of 70.8% five years ago to 85% in 2018.

Regarding dropout rates, Coronado saw a spike at 4.48% in fiscal year 2016 to 2.45% the following year before steadily increasing to 3.95%.

Governing Board Vice President Patty Beckman and Ms. Beckham both credit Ms. Palatucci for the work she has done with the school and improving the graduation rate. Ms. Palatucci served as interim principal during the 2018-19 school year before shucking the interim tag last summer.

Ms. Beckman said what’s impressed her is Ms. Palatucci’s, and her staff’s, attention to the statistics, leading to the establishment of “rise hours” which is a dedicated time for additional help in core subjects.

“These built in interventions are put in place to proactively help and monitor students that may be struggling academically,” Ms. Beckman said via email.

“The goal is to catch and assist these students so they may graduate with their cohort and be prepared for college or the workplace. We hope to continue providing Coronado with the resources and tools that will make a positive impact on the students and in turn, these percentages.”

Ms. Beckham said the district is not only focusing on Coronado High School, but the whole learning community. She pointed to the hiring of Margaret Serna as Title I executive director within the district. Ms. Beckham said this hiring was because of her “successful techniques and programs” at Tavan Elementary School when she was principal.

Another notable trend is a steady increase in dropout rates at Arcadia, increasing from 0.17% to 2.79% over the past five years. The school’s graduation rate has fluctuated as well, alternating between rises and falls over the past five years though none of those falls have dropped it below 89%.

It takes a village

When it comes to education, a student’s situation can be different, making for a unique school experience. Because of this idea, Ms. Bolton said the district tries to offer many programs and educational options to “keep students of all abilities engaged, enriched and developing their individual potential.”

One of those options is Scottsdale Online Learning as well as summer learning opportunities. Last year, the district graduated 16 of its 30 students in online learning, according to azed.gov statistics.

Summer school provides students an opportunity to either complete course credit, replace a poor grade or learn a semester of content in three weeks. There are courses online and in-person, according to SUSD’s website.

Programs aren’t the district’s only focus. Ms. Beckman touted the teachers’ experience as a contributing factor to the district’s graduation and dropout numbers.

She cited the 85 National Board Certified Teachers in the 2018-19 school year, which is nearing 100. She complimented those educators for what she saw as playing a role in the student’s progression.

“Going forward, it is our hope that we continue supporting our educators so we may attract and retain the very best,” she said.

Ms. Bolton took it a step further saying the local community aids in those above-average rates, citing the maintenance and operations override, which voters approved in November. This funding, she said, can help support all-day kindergarten, maintaining class sizes, add technology and other enhancements to the experience.

While the district does put in its efforts for the students, its leaders point to families as key contributing factor in students staying in school and graduating.

“The district and our community need to educate our parents on the importance of their role in their child’s education,” Ms. Beckham said. “The district can emphasize the importance of reading in the home, supporting time and focus for homework, establishing strong family values, modeling civil discourse, and helping others through participation in activities beyond the classroom.”

Moving forward, district leaders say they will continue focusing on student’s work, family and community support and efforts from school and district staff as the formula for producing above-average graduation and dropout rates while shoring up areas of decline or struggles.

All that the district does, Ms. Beckham says, needs to be centered on the students.

“I believe there is a forward momentum of recognizing the need to listen and understand our students and looking at the future of education for the 21st century,” she said. “SUSD needs to continue to hire and grow professional, effective principals who are knowledgeable instructional leaders at each school and to provide effective instruction and caring teachers in the classrooms.”