Focal Point: Absent Minds
At first glance, North Carolina's dropout rate, as reported by the state Department of Public Instruction, does not seem all that bad. It's less than 5 percent for grades 9-12, but that's during a single school year. A look at the bigger picture reveals a much more startling statistic -- about 40 percent of North Carolinaians who enter high school leave without a diploma. They depart without the necessary skills and education to enter the workforce or to continue their education.
Posted — UpdatedOriginal Air Date: May 26, 2005
"Absent Minds" looks at North Carolina's drop-out problem. It profiles students to examine why they drop out and what impact leaving school before earning a diploma has on them and their future. The program also explores dropout prevention and intervention programs that work, asks how they can be expanded to reduce the number of dropouts and considers what other measures our state should take to address the dropout problem.
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Focal Point Extra
- State-By-State Look at High School Graduation Rates during 2001-2002
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