Is Lynn's Dropout Rate Really "Not that Bad"?

After attending a few school committee debates this year, a few candidates remarked that Lynn's stats (test scores, dropout rate, etc.) are "not that bad." Every candidate, like every citizen, is entitled to his or her opinion, but this seems like a somewhat weak assessment of the Lynn Public Schools particularly in light of the way that some voters feel about the school system and the school committee (see here). 

Of all the education related data out there, the dropout rate appears to be one statistic (in addition to MCAS proficiency rates) that parents and citizens care about most. So where does Lynn stand in comparison to other communities in regards to its dropout rate? Below is a list of the 31 districts (including charter school districts) with the highest dropout rates in Massachusetts for the 2009-10 school (which is the most recent data available) along with the actual number of dropouts and the total high school enrollment; Lynn's information is highlighted in yellow.

	Rate	#	Total High School Population
Boston Day & Evening Charter	41.20%	115	279
Phoenix Charter Academy	37.80%	62	164
Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter	33.10%	40	121
Provincetown	23.50%	12	51
Springfield	10.50%	737	7,031
Academy of Strategic Learning Charter	10.20%	5	49
Holyoke	9.50%	186	1,963
Lawrence	9.40%	311	3,297
Ralph C Mahar Regional	8.70%	42	482
New Bedford	8.10%	237	2,941
Rockland	7.80%	45	580
New Leadership Charter	7.10%	15	210
Boston	6.80%	1,196	17,498
Athol-Royalston	6.60%	31	469
Fitchburg	6.40%	86	1,335
Haverhill	6.40%	117	1,839
North Adams	6.20%	31	500
Waltham	6.20%	88	1,414
Oxford	5.80%	32	548
Somerville	5.60%	76	1,352
Brockton	5.50%	235	4,287
Chicopee	5.50%	149	2,713
North Central Essential Charter	5.50%	13	238
Southbridge	5.50%	23	418
Franklin	5.40%	88	1,622
Lynn	5.40%	215	4,010
Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter	5.10%	14	274
Adams-Cheshire	5%	22	436
Spencer-East Brookfield	5%	24	483
Webster	5%	27	545
Lowell	4.40%	145	3,290

Indeed, there are districts in Massachusetts with much higher dropout rates than Lynn. Still, it is disheartening to know that approximately 215 students are leaving school each year in Lynn without receiving a diploma. The dropout rate (5.4%) along with the graduation rate (68.5%) are an indication that there is a serious need for improvement in making sure that all students in Lynn on the road to at least a high school diploma.

BUT...

To look on the bright side,  Lynn's dropout rate overall has declined in the last few years which is a positive sign.

Lynn (District)

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	5.3%	5.4%	5.8%	6.1%	5.4%
# Dropouts	231	235	245	249	215
Total High School Enrollment	4,366	4,331	4,244	4,084	4,010

Lynn Classical

Lynn Classical has seen its dropout remain stable over the past four years.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	4.2%	3.2%	3.3%	3.3%	3.4%
# Dropouts	64	43	42	41	44
Total High School Enrollment	1,526	1,365	1,268	1,225	1,295

Lynn English

Lynn English's dropout did increase in 2009-10, but remained relatively stable (and low) before that.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	3.8%	3.8%	2.8%	3.6%	4.8%
# Dropouts	58	63	46	62	83
Total High School Enrollment	1,527	1,671	1,635	1,705	1,728

Lynn Tech

Lynn Tech's dropout rate decreased in 2009-10 after hitting its highest dropout rate over a 10 year period (2001- 2010) in 2007-08.

	05-06	06-07	07-08	08-09	09-10
Dropout Rate	6%	7.7%	8.8%	7.5%	7.1%
# Dropouts	69	86	103	80	63
Total High School Enrollment	1,153	1,118	1,165	1,066	882

So, while the Lynn Public School System could make specific improvements that decrease the dropout rate and increase the number of students receiving a high school diploma, the district as a whole seems to be moving in the right direction regarding this issue. Perhaps, saying that it's "not that bad" is not the best way to describe the current state of the LPS, but maybe we are not in the absolute downward spiral educationally, at least with regard to dropout rates, as people, both inside and outside of Lynn, tend to think.



All Data Taken From: http://www.doe.mass.edu/infoservices/reports/dropout/