Friday, October 3, 2014

Two CMS high schools honored for perfect graduation rates

Today was the big graduation rate celebration up in Raleigh, and two high schools in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools were honored for having a 100 percent graduation rate last year.

Cato Middle College High and The Military and Global Leadership Academy at Marie G. Davis each had perfect graduation rates this year. To be sure, both are among the district's smallest high schools. Cato had 95 students in its graduating class, and Marie G. Davis had just 20.


But it still marks a significant achievement. Cato Middle College was the largest high school graduating class in the state to have a perfect rate, according to tables provided by the state Department of Public Instruction.

Two other CMS high schools were recognized for high graduation rates, as well.

Ardrey Kell High, with 559 students graduating, had a 97.7 percent rate. Providence High, with a 488-student class, had a 97.3 percent graduation rate.

All received plaques at a luncheon today in Durham.

The CMS graduation rate was 85.2 percent, outpacing the state for the first time in years.

11 comments:

Wiley Coyote said...

Great job CMS. Now, give us the REAL numbers.....

~ The state board unanimously passed a vote to move North Carolina high schools to a 10-point grading scale. Beginning with the freshmen class of 2015, the lowest “A” will be a 90, instead of a 93 on the previous seven-point scale. Current high school students won’t be affected and will stay on the old scale.

~ CMS School Board members voted 5-2 in favor of lowering the required amount of credits from 28 to 24.

~ CMS is the only district in the area with the new lowered credit requirement. Every other district requires students to take 27 or 28 courses.

~ Many students get a 50 for "attempting to do work". Basically putting their name on the paper and turning it in. (Mallard Creek High piloted an approach calling for students to get at least a 50, as long as they made an effort. Deputy Superintendent Ann Clark said in May that the district was still gathering feedback, with no final recommendation sent to Morrison.)

~ About 60% of community college students enroll in at least one developmental education course, according to the Community College Research Center at Columbia University's Teachers College. At four-year colleges, about 20% of freshman students enroll in remedial classes, according to Complete College America, a non-profit in Washington, D.C., which has led efforts to reform remedial education.

One study estimated the annual cost of college-level remedial help to students, colleges and taxpayers at close to $7 billion.

~ The John M. Belk Endowment announced Wednesday that it has given $2.3 million to Central Piedmont Community College to help the school better equip its remedial classes.

Anonymous said...

Ok, Cato is for folks smart enough to take college credits in high school, taking the Sociology 101, English 101 and Psych 101 that every college freshman is required to take, to get it out of the way so they can focus on their true college degree. Of course they are going to have 100% graduation rate because the type of kid that goes there is the top of the top, best of the best, involved parents and smart parents to get these required classes paid for free.

Anonymous said...

Wiley,
Not sure I understand the point in your response to AK and Providence. Do you know what the percentage of children from either of those two high schools who go on to college, it is exceptional.

CMS has it's faults, actually many faults, but lets at least give them credit for their better high schools.

the biggest challenge for CMS is something they have little control over, the demographic make up of the students. Again, I would suggest you read "The Outliers', pay specific attention to pages 111 &112. The conclusion this researcher arrives at, after thorough research, goes straight the crux of the issue with CMS schools.

Wiley Coyote said...

12:05

The point is that overall, the dumbing down of CMS students and those acoss the country continues.

I have no doubt a much higher percentage of students from AK go to college as do from Providence, but how much of a factor are the changes in grading and lowered credits increasing the percentages of those graduating? How many AK students have to get remedial help just to go to community college?

AK's graduation rate is 97.7%. What will it be after a 10 point grading scale is possibly implemented, 100%?

What do you attribute a 15.3 percentage point graduation rate increase from 4 years ago to?

Within that 15.3% increase, Black students' graduation rate alone increased 20.9 percentage points. What do you attribute that huge increase to?

Anonymous said...

My son graduated from AK last year and I will tell you that many students graduated who didn't qualify to graduate. It is completely at the PRINCIPAL'S discretion. Do you think he wants his numbers to go down? He has a top rated school and wants to keep it that way, appearances are everything. it is all funny math.

Anonymous said...

Cato does it right! Classes from 11am - 4pm. Finally a smart decision from CMS.

Anonymous said...

what percentage of students from the higher performing schools, like Audrey kell and Providence, attend college and/or attend remedial classes? I would imagine it is quite a high number.

Anonymous said...

Class of 2014 - lowest math SAT scores since 2000. How is this possible with all the technology being used in the classroom and by our students and teachers? This is impossible.

Anonymous said...

"My son graduated from AK last year and I will tell you that many students graduated who didn't qualify to graduate."

You mean they actually stopped breathing?

Anonymous said...

be prepared to shell out a lot of money for tutoring for your child.

Chablis said...

well duh, 11am -4pm. As it should be for high school students. No lunch, just bring (or buy) a quick snack.