Sense on Cents

Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap  prepared for America’s Promise Alliance by the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, shows that despite some progress made by several cities from 1995-2005, the average graduation rate of the 50 largest cities is well below the national average of 71%, and there remains an 18 percentage point urban vs suburban gap.

Cities in Crisis 2009 finds that only about half (53%) of all young people in the nation’s 50 largest cities are graduating from high school on time. Cities in Crisis 2009 was released on April 22, 2009 as a follow-up to the original Cities in Crisis report released in April 2008.

Nationwide, nearly one in three U.S. high school students fails to graduate with a diploma. In total, approximately 1.2 million students drop out each year — averaging 7,000 every school day or one every 26 seconds. Among minority students, the problem is even more severe with nearly 50 percent of African American and Hispanic students not completing high school on time.

Cities in Crisis 2009: Closing the Graduation Gap also looked at the economic and employment landscape for those with varied educational levels, including those without a high school diploma. It revealed that those who drop out of high school are less likely to be steadily employed, and earn less income when they are employed, compared with those who graduate from high school. Approximately one-third (37 percent) of high school dropouts nationwide are steadily employed and are more than twice as likely to live in poverty.

The report revealed that high school dropouts account for 13 percent of the adult population, but earn less than six percent of all dollars earned in the U.S. In the 50 largest cities, the median income for high school dropouts is $14,000 — significantly lower than the median income of $24,000 for high school graduates and $48,000 for college graduates.

Nationally, high school dropouts were also the only group of workers who saw income levels decline over the last 30 years.

While we learn that incomes and employment are highly correlated with level of education, what else might correlate? Do you think that those born into two parent families may stand a better chance of getting a diploma and a solid job?

Recent statistics highlight that 4 of every 10 newborns in our nation enter the world into a single parent family. Within that data, 7 of every 10 newborn African Americans, half of the Hispanic newborns, and approximately 3 of every 10 Caucasians are born into single parent families. Not even 2 of every 10 Asian Americans are born into single parent families.

Why is this data so important? As the National Fatherhood Initiative points out:

Fatherless children are twice as likely to drop out of school.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. National Center for Health Statistics. Survey on Child Health. Washington, D.C.: GPO, 1993.

Do you need me to connect any more of these dots?

Do you care to review the impact on these single parent children and the data in terms of poverty, health, incarceration, teen pregnancy, child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and obesity? The previous link may unsettle you, but then again better to know the truth than not.

I have previously given President Obama his due for trying to make strides within education, but the next time he and his minions care to engage and promote class warfare, let’s redirect the discourse.

Let’s ask our political elite their opinions on why individuals drop out of school. In order to address this truth, perhaps we should first accept it and expose it.  

Let’s then ask them why individuals choose to bring their children into the world within single parent family units. In order to address this truth, perhaps we should accept it and expose it. 

Who and what might be responsible for the dynamics at play driving these realities?

The truth and reality of this situation may not help their campaign . . . but it is the truth and anybody with a modicum of sense on cents appreciates it.

We ALL pay the costs and bear the burden for these social issues. I have NO problem paying in to address these issues, BUT I have a huge problem in allowing the  problems to perpetuate and remain largely swept under the rug while politicians use the people for their own personal gain.

For specifics on graduation rates within our major cities, America’s Promise Alliance details:

Graduation Rates for the Main School Systems in the Nation’s 50 Largest Cities  

NOTE: Graduation rates are calculated using the Cumulative Promotion Index method with data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Common Core of Data. Rankings are based on non-rounded statistics. SOURCE: EPE Research Center, 2008

Larry Doyle

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I have no affiliation or business interest with any entity referenced in this commentary. The opinions expressed are my own. I am a proponent of real transparency within our markets, our economy, and our political realm so that meaningful investor confidence and investor protection can be achieved.