News-Record.com

Jennifer,

Didn't Grier accept an award last year for having such a LOW dropout rate???

SO SAD! Kids drop out for many reasons and I am not sure that we can address all, but we need to see that social promotion is not working. Students that are so far behind their peers just give up and drop out. We have to reach these students early, not later

I found it. It was the "Crystal Star Award" and Grier and the board were very proud to receive it for having such a low drop out rate. Now that the true story has been told, why aren't they continuing to tout it on the website?

Here's the text from the original announcement:

Guilford County Schools Dropout Rate Lowest Among State’s Largest Districts

District Receives Crystal Star Award from National Dropout Prevention Network

More GCS students are in school thanks to the district’s dropout prevention efforts, which in 2005 earned national recognition from the National Dropout Prevention Network (NDPN). GCS earned the Crystal Star Award for its successful programs that have demonstrated clear evidence of success in meeting the needs of at-risk students and furthering the mission of the NDPN. Gwen Willis, Executive Director of Student Services, and Richard Tuck, Supervisor of Dropout Prevention/Parent Outreach, will present to the Board the award, which was received during the 17th Annual NDPN Conference last October in California.

In a recent release by the Department of Public Instruction, according to the state’s 2004-2005 dropout rate data, Guilford County Schools (GCS) is among the lowest in the state. Click here to view a recent announcement on how GCS compares to other surrounding districts.

NDPN operates under its mission to serve as a research center and resource network for practitioners, researchers, and policymakers to reshape school and community environments to meet the needs of youth in at-risk situations so these students receive the quality education and services necessary to succeed academically and graduate from high school.

We are extremely proud of the work of all GCS schools, in particular our middle colleges, traditional high schools, and central office staffs who work very hard to keep our children in school. We also owe a great deal of gratitude to our local colleges/universities and community agency partners for their help.

Don't compare Apples to oranges again. There is a difference between the drop out Rate and the Graduation rate. The Graduation rate is based on the number of 9th graders that graduare in 4 years. The Drop out rate is the number of kids that quit school and never graduate. Dr. Grier's programs have done an outstanding job in preventing dropouts.

Deborah if GCS were socially promoting kids the graduation rate would be higher. Your statement contradicts itself. By holding students back GCS is hurting its graduation rate but preventing drop outs. Good job Dr. Grier! Now lets work to improve the Graduation rate also and we will truly be golden!

The Real Truth

PS. Another way to look at it: Its Garth's fault. Soon after he's elected to the school board achievement declines! I know that is absurd but I was using Grier Hater logic.

RT, Are you saying that the missing 36.5% are at school but did not graduate? What happenned to them?

I am not contradicting myself.

We have promoted children that are so frustrated by their lack of knowledge(being so 'stupid; compared to their classmates) that they act out constantly and as soon as they turn 16 they quit school. If we had helped these children in their early years instead of hiding their needs with social promotion, then perhaps they would not feel so stupid and frustrated. Perhaps they would stick it out and graduate

RT,

You can't have it both ways. Use a little logic here - if your dropout rate is 2%, how could you possibly have a graduation rate of 63.5%???

The real truth is that the dropout rate was never really 2%. The way in which it was measured was wrong, but Grier always managed to take credit - at least until the real truth emerges and we see that GCS is failing thousands of kids.

Wake up!

"By holding students back GCS is hurting it's graduation rate but preventing drop outs." TRT

WHAT? Social promotion just promotes students whether they are learning or not. It's as Deborah stated. They keep getting promoted but aren't learning. Students become frustrated and drop out. They DO NOT graduate. The rates go hand in hand. Another factor is that we are letting students who are disruptive negatively influence the learning time and educational experience for those who want to learn. These disruptive students need to be removed from the regular classrooms.

RT, Is this "logic" why who were asked to quit your night job as an opinion writer for the HPE?

It IS Garth's fault GCS is finally coming clean and reporting things as is. Wait until budget time. No stone will be left unturned.

GREAT JOB GARTH. WE LOVE YOU!

Here we see a true picture of Terry Griers work. Rough numbers are that about 6000 kids enrolled in their freshmen year in 2003-04. At least 2000 of them were not in school at the end of last year, the year they should of graduated. By the way this is not a one time event. This happens year after year!

The RT's of this world have kept this criminal in power for too long. For too long they have accepted his lies and let him "not educate" the children of Guilford County.

How long will we have to put up with these lies?

I am currently at the bond ref meeting and overheard Superintendent Terry Grier saying the state screwed up the graduation numbers, that 560 students were miscoded and the grad rate should be above 70 percent. Jennifer or I will update you when we can confirm this with the state.

That's rich, the state screwed-up the numbers, huh? Why is it that when there is bad news, it's someone else who screwed it up? It's funny how that works. People who come n contact with Terry Grier are always making mistakes. He's Mr. Teflon! Is he going to be able to get his Stat Man to invent new numbers that are credible?

Correction: Grier is not singling out the state, attributed the error to the misreporting of student information, perhaps on the district level.

Thanks heavens for that. Its not 2299 children that have dropped out with no hope in life, its only 1739.

I mean, I was ready to ask the board to fire him. Seriously, I am so releived. The board must be relieved too.

Terry, the saviour.

STRIVING, TRUTHFULLY, FAILING (BADLY).

Morgan,

Why were these students coded wrong in the first place? What is the difference between then and now in how they were counted? Who coded them wrong in the first place? Could you research this and let us know.

You people are so negative. You automatically assume that the graduation rate / Drop out rate / whatever you call it is due to social promotions. The problem with your logic is that there are gateways in elementary school and middle school and students must pass to advance to the next grade. You wrongfully assume that they are simply socially promoted and then get frustrated and drop out because they can't cope with the academic rigor in High School. While I'm sure that there are a % of students that applies to, its only a small part of the problem. There are many factors that cause students to drop out. Most of them are cultural and social. Economic status, family problems. Its a community problem (by the way Guilford County isn't alone in this its everywhere... read a newspaper from another city in NC or another city anywhere in the US and you will read the same problems) and GCS isn't totally responsible (Garth is). Dr Grier and the school Board (execpt for Garth) should be commended for tackling this problem and putting programs in place to try to hold back the tide. The problem is GCS cannot solve all the problems in our society. They only have the kids 6.5 hours a day. It doesn't matter who the Superintendent is or who is on the School Board (except Garth makes it worse, he matters) this problem will continue until we solve it in the homes and on the streets. Teenage pregnancy and drugs are bigger influences in this problem than the schools. Solve those problems and a lot of this problem will go away.

I'm very glad GCS works hard to keep kids in High School even if it takes them 5 years or more to graduate. Dropouts are doomed and will likely become wards of the state either in prison or welfare, they will have children that will likely repeat their parent's mistakes. Our community needs to break this cycle and GCS is only a small part. GCS is making the biggest positive impact in this problem.

The Real Truth

Check out the number of questions you have to get right to pass the end of grade tests and Gateways. "Passing" the tests does not mean you have knowledge to go onto college or hold down a basic job. (I think Deborah has these percentages of numbers you need to pass. Deborah?)

Notice how much harder it will be to graduate now that the bar has been raised. See how difficult it will be now that senior will be required to pass several tests and do a senior project to graduate. Sooner or later you can't keep playing games by passing students who aren't ready. By setting the standards so low in the past to get to the next grade level, you are only setting these students up to fail.

And who, pray tell, is going to solve "these problems" in the home and the street. People need to be held responsible for their own actions. Until they realize that, you can't help them. By the time they get to high school, it's too late for most of them. Teachers aren't social workers.

THANK YOU GARTH FOR DOING SUCH AN EXCELLENT JOB.

TRT

When is your moving van coming for Texas?

Until last year, to get a '3' on an EOG in elementary or middle you just had to get 34% correct; barely more than guessing. Now the level has been raised. I believe the number is more like 58%. That is why so many kids dropped to a level 2 in math last year.

RT,

You say, You commend Grier and the school board for "tackling this problem and putting programs in place".

Name one program and provide the evidence to back your statement.

Numbersgame,

Reducing class size is one program. Mission Possible is another, Middle college, The different academies all are geared toward reaching potential dropouts. Not to mention CIS Site coordinators in Title I schools.

The Real Truth

RT,

Evidence???

RT,

Here is the deal again. An average of 6000 freshmen have been starting in High School for the last several years. Each year there is an average of only 4000 kids enrolled in the Senior year. If kids were being held back then the senior year would grow wouldnt it?

There are no assumptions here. It's just good old fashioned Truth. Something that Terry Grier likes to hide from and people like you like to ignore.

Its all been on Terry's watch. No improvement for seven years. There can be no excuses here. The programs you mention are all recent initiatives because Judge Manning is knocking on the door. If it weren't for the Judge and if it were left to people like you he would be basking in false glory.
As it is the Truth is coming out. It must be just a question of time before he gets fired.

You want a real worry.
As time goes on the school board will be made up of more and more people who graduate on Dr. Griers watch.

TRT talks about, well they graduate in five years.
Facts are if they don't graduate in four years they don't graduate period.

TRT is partially correct. The schools are a only part of the problem. However they are the only thing Terry knows how to address with the same old approach.

We need to address the 17 or so hours the at risk kids are not in school.
We don’t know how to do that with public school funds.

Terry knows that. He ( and his staff ) is just not creative enough to know what to do.
So he simply concentrates on creating presentation. For his resume. We don’t need a statistician to crate a story to justify why we fail, or a diversity officer to get us to love each other, or a Chief of Staff to do I don’t know what, a PR person to oversee
our propaganda sheet ( WEB pages )

Hell things can’t get much worse. We need to look for a Superintendent with a nontraditional approach. The traditional approach is failing all over the country.
Cut staff at central. Hire a professional head hunter. Triple the superintendents salary and
find a winner and turn him loose. It’s only money? Every day we wait we short change our kids more. What are these 37% going to do to earn a living. I’m not altruistic. Whats the saying you are only 6 meals away from revolution. That’s coming if we leave 37% of
society to squalor. We can’t spend to much if we can solve the problem.

Our business community spends money telling people how good we are (Striving Achieving Excelling). That money could be used in the community to attack the problems. When you’re good you don't have to advertise.

David, They dont graduate in five years, they are not there after three years.
In the sophomore year 10% have disappeared. Ten more go between Sophomore and Junior and another 10 go by senior year.
The problem goes all the way back to elementary school.Dis-advantaged kids leave there not reading and writing, they dont fit in in middle school and have had enough at High. They get to high school miles behind and the only thing we can offer them is an AP course and a bus when they cant even read. The fact is these kids are not welcome in this system. Griers school system has created them and Griers system drives them out. They are not welcome.

Meanwhile lets be thankful its 500 less than the 2299 reported. Now we can sweep it under the rug again. This news keeps people like RT and the N+R happy. Like Grieralcoholics drinking in GrierBS they drink up!

TRT

FYI A group of us have been writing and telling GCS we need smaller classrooms at schools like Andrews for 4 years plus now. This is nothing innovative.

FYI Several of us have been saying to pay teachers more to come to schools like Andrews. One of the people who posts here was told by Mr. Duncan that you can't pay teachers enough to come there. Question: If you can't pay teachers enough to come to a school like Andrews then why was Mission Possible created? And why is it now considered the Magic Bullet? We said this several times.

FYI We have stated that you need alternatives for students who have no desire to go to college or who are not academically able to get it. For the past several years we have been saying to create technical strands that would create real paying jobs for these students.

I believe the site coordinators are a result of the pressure of NCLB.

Nothing new here. As Quest said...

EVIDENCE??

p.s. Maybe Terry can find you a great job when you move in August.