Crucial issue of dropout rates in Cincinnati Public Schools at end of edcade, century and millennium

By Roy McGrath

Plan called "Student First" not working since 1996 and 3 years of implementation.

The first priority of CPS-should improving what can only be characterized as its abysmal record of failure in achieving graduation for those in high school. ie 9 to 12 grade.

When Stiident First was instituted, with the goal of improving student performance, in the Fall of '96 the dropout rate,(over the four years of high school)was 58.5% (Class of '96 Gr. 9 4158 Gr. 12 1725) Two years later, the dropout rate for the Class of '98 was 63.6% (Gr. 9 4499 Gr. 12 1573').

In the first two years of Student First, there was a deterioration in the dropout rate of 8-7% almost two-thirds of entering high schoolers are doomed to fail!

This is a sorry state of affairs for public education in Cincinnati. This is at the end of a decade, century and millennium.

Immediate steps should be taken to emulate the record of success achñeved in the Milwaukee Public School system. Its dropout rate is some one-in-eight.

Wisconsin has had vouchers in Milwaulkee for the past decade. It appears to work! Competition appears to be the answer which is charters.

Why not vouchers in Cincinnati?? Along with charters!