The May 21 graduation of Starkville High School should see 231 seniors concluding their secondary education, representing a graduation rate of about 77 percent.
The ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum on the campus of Mississippi State University. Nicole Thomas, public information officer for the Starkville School District, said Thursday that the graduation rate is improved and the dropout rate decreased from last year.
“The unofficial latest graduation rate figure is 77 percent up from 65 percent, and the latest unofficial dropout rate is between 14 percent and 16 percent, down from 26,” Thomas said. “To graduate, students are required to pass the U.S. History Subject Area Test, English II Subject Area Tests, Biology I Subject Area Test, and Algebra I Subject Area Test and complete the course requirements set by the state of Mississippi and the Starkville School District.”
While the graduate rate has improved, the number of graduates each year fluctuates. In 2009, there were 265 graduates, and the Class of 2008 had 216 seniors.
Walter Gonsoulin, Starkville School District assistant superintendent for operations, works with graduation rates and dropout prevention for the school district.
“The Starkville School District has improved its practice of tracking student movement, which means knowing when students move and when students transfer,” Gonsoulin said. “Accurate data is essential to obtaining accurate graduation and dropout rates.
“The district has also implemented the response to intervention (RTI) model, which is designed to provide early, effective assistance to children who are struggling. Using RTI, interventionists and teachers in the Starkville School District are better able to assess the areas where a student is having difficulty, frequently monitor their progress, and provide research based interventions for students to help them improve,” he said.
Students learn whether or not they are graduating after exams are finished.
The Class of 2010 has earned more than $4.6 million dollars in scholarship offers, the most in school history. There are two National Merit Finalists and seven seniors graduating with highest honors and a 4.0 GPA.
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