Ohio Graduating More Minorities

Amidst all the continuous debate and finger-pointing about Ohio's public education systems comes this report.

The state data analysis was presented by Ohio 8, a coalition of superintendents, teachers and union presidents, at their two-day summit on urban education in Columbus last week.

All urban students are making gains, the analysis found. Although Cleveland's graduation rate for all students in 1999 was 38 percent, or one of the lowest rates in the nation, the district's graduation rate for 2005-2006 climbed to 55 percent. One urban district, Toledo, has a graduation rate of 90.5 percent, more than five points higher than the state average of 86 percent.

The improved performance could be due to a variety of reasons, urban educators, administrators and union leaders said. Training for teachers is improving and a greater variety of specialized magnet schools now exist to attract and retain students.

Another factor is the 2001 federal education law No Child Left Behind, which requires schools to divide data by race and ethnic background and holds schools responsible if individual groups of students fail. [ed. bold]

Interestingly, when time comes for criticism of the education systems, No Child Left Behind will likely be cited as the cause.

When good news regarding improved graduation rates surfaces, No Child Left Behind is relegated to "another factor" status, seemingly mentioned almost as an afterthought. In my view, No Child Left Behind is the impetus which forces schools to do a better job at teaching kids and, thereby, to enjoy improved graduation statistics.