Study: 38% of Fairbanks students drop out
FAIRBANKS - A study found that the Fairbanks North Star Borough's Class of 2005 had more than 500 dropouts.
Only 62 percent of the class made it through all the way from ninth grade to graduation, according to a new study presented to the school board. While 831 students graduated last year, the class lost 392 to withdrawals since their freshman year.
The study by the school district found that students left for a number of reasons: failing grades, boredom, behavioral issues, unplanned pregnancies, employment, family problems and a lack of motivation.
The study was presented to the school board Tuesday night. It looked at dropout rates for students in grades 9-12 as well as historical data for the class.
The study is part of the district's efforts to reduce the dropout rate.
"We're trying to address the issue of student withdraws and keep more kids in school," said Nick Stayrook, chief information services officer for the district.
A committee will review the data with principals and counselors from the district's elementary, middle and high schools to see what possible actions can be taken to reduce the dropout rate. A report from the committee is expected in January.
While the district's senior graduation rate of 86 percent compares well with other urban schools in the state, it doesn't tell the full story, Superintendent Ann Shortt said.
In an effort to find out why students withdrew from school before receiving a diploma, the district started contacting dropouts last year by telephone to see what they're doing now.
"The goal is to look at who drops out and determine what gaps we might have in the services we provide our students," Shortt said.
Nearly all of the students shared a sense of alienation that led to their leaving school.
"Somewhere along the line they felt they had become disconnected from the school," Stayrook said.
While most of the former students contacted for the study said there was nothing the schools could have done to change their decisions, the study had the unanticipated benefit of encouraging some youth to re-enroll in classes.
"Just hearing from someone is enough, in many cases, to nudge them back into the classroom," Shortt said.
About 80 of the 200 students who dropped out last year re-enrolled after being contacted.
"Many of them were quite surprised that someone called them up," Stayrook said. "We were able to provide them with advice on how to get back into school or continue their education in some form."