Data: Juneau's school dropout numbers falling

The Juneau School District's latest dropout data has both good news and bad news, according to district officials.

The good news is that fewer students have dropped out in the early stages of their high school careers than in previous years, a sign district officials said shows the success of the district's recent efforts to ease the transition between middle school and high school by implementing smaller learning environments.

The bad news is Alaska Native students are still dropping out of school at a disproportionately higher rate than other ethnicities, a sign an Alaska Native group said shows that racism exists in the school district and the needs of some students aren't being met.

As of April 1 of this year, 74 students have dropped out of school after enrolling, according to the district's curriculum and assessment coordinator, Phil Loseby, who reported his findings to the Juneau School Board last week. There were 11 high school freshmen who dropped out, 17 sophomores, 28 juniors and 18 seniors.

That compares to last year, when about 80 students dropped out after enrolling.

This year's findings are a contrast to the dropout rates recorded between 2000 and 2005, when freshmen and sophomores had the highest proportion of dropouts.

"That's quite a striking change," Loseby said. "The most obvious thing to point to is the structure in the high school."

This year at Juneau-Douglas High School, ninth grade students were placed in small learning groups with the idea of making stronger connections among students with other students and with their teachers. The idea of small learning groups is a key part of the district's plan to change high school education. Next year, the district will offer themed academies that are also smaller learning groups at JDHS and the new high school opening this summer.

School Board President Andi Story said the dip in freshmen and sophomores leaving school means the district's approach is working.

"We're definitely on the right track, and that's encouraging," Story said, adding that the high dropout rate of Alaska Native students shows that there's still "more work to be done."

Alaska Natives have composed 40 to 45 percent of the dropouts from Juneau's school in the last four years, a percentage that's about twice as high as the entire percentage of Alaska Natives in seventh through 12th grades. So far this year, about 33 Alaska Natives have dropped out after enrolling in school.

The high number of Alaska Native dropouts is proof of "institutionalized racism" prevalent throughout the school district, according to Barbara Searls, president of the Alaska Native Sisterhood Glacier Valley Camp 70, a group that advocates for Alaska Native students.

Searls said the district officials are blind to racism in Juneau's schools and have low expectations of Alaska Native students. She added that their efforts to reform high education have failed to address why Alaska Native students are dropping out at higher rates.

"They think that if they treat everybody the same, that's being equitable," Searls said. "I don't think that's right, because some people need more help than others."

Superintendent Peggy Cowan said the district is in the midst of a "major effort" to "turn the corner" on the Alaska Native dropout rate. Part of that effort, Cowan said, included participating in a study by researchers from Clemson University to target reasons why Alaska Native students are dropping out. The district also has an equity committee to address imbalances within the district, Cowan said.

Other information from Loseby's report:

• A "significant portion of current dropouts" who took state standardized testing had proficient or advanced scores.

• The dropout numbers do not include students who were expected to enroll this year but did not, and there is no evidence that they are continuing their education outside of the district, Loseby said. There were 40 of these so-called "no shows" last year, and 30 the year before, according to Loseby.

• Contact reporter Alan Suderman at 523-2268 or alan.suderman@juneauempire.com.