“184 Texas Schools Deemed "Dropout Factories"
By, Peggy Venable, Texas Director, Americans for Prosperity
AUSTIN, TEXAS - More than 180 Texas high schools are listed as "Dropout Factories," meaning they retain only 60% of their students from grades 9 through 12. Only 18 of the 184 are not predominantly minority schools. The retention rate in some schools hovers at only 30% - meaning 70% of students drop out. Texas is home to 10% of the nation's schools deemed "dropout factories."
Rev. Kyev Tatum, President of Ministers for Education of America (MEA) sent this staggering and deeply disturbing information this week. It is hard to believe that we accept this level of failure when it comes to our children.
The challenge policymakers face is to find a way to end this cycle of poverty, failure and despair. School choice is not about picking winners and losers. It is about children.
Any child in a failing school should not be sentenced to that institution, but should have the ability to take their education dollars to the educational institution where their parents think they would have the greatest opportunity to succeed. It is not about money. Some inner city, predominantly minority schools are not on that list, and they are not any better funded.
Rev. Tatum wrote, "This, in my humble opinion, is why we must pass meaningful school choice here in Texas next session. Many of our schools are nothing more than a dropout factory."
The Ministers for Education of America promotes school reform and serves as the sponsor of former Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige’ Texas HOPE Tour that promotes his new book, “A War Against Hope.”
We agree, Rev. Tatum. It is unacceptable. Click here and Find the story here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MEA CONTACT REV. TATUM AT 817-966-7625 OR kyevtatum@yahoo.com
