Lynn dropout rate falls again

With the class of 2014, the state?s four-year graduation rate improved for the eighth consecutive year – with Lynn?s dropout rate having decreased for the sixth straight year.According to data compiled by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which includes public and charter schools, the annual dropout rate declined to two percent in 2013-2014 – the sixth consecutive year below 3 percent and the lowest overall rate in more than three decades.Also promising news is Lynn district?s dropout rate is down 30 percent in five years, and 57 percent for Lynn Vocational Technical Institute alone in one year. Lynn has decreased every year since 2009.School Superintendent Catherine C. Latham said she is pleased that so many programs are in place to help keep struggling students in school.Among them are: tax credit recovery, summer school, a dropout prevention program that serves more than 600 students in grades 6-12, “Project Yes” at Thurgood Marshall Middle School, Lynn Evening Enrichment Program (LEEP) that allows students to have a day job, and a new guidance college and readiness career curriculum, which is an initiative with North Shore Community College to earn college credit, and a new exit interview process to encourage students to think twice before dropping out.Although Lynn?s dropout rate significantly decreased, Latham said there is still more work to be done.?I wish it were zero,” Latham said. “We?re trying to educate students that the key to success is certainly a high school diploma. It?s the minimal need of students. We even try to bring them back if they?ve already dropped out.”Lynn Tech brought about the most successful change, down from 4.6 percent to 2 percent with a total dropout count of 14. Lynn district is down from 6.1 percent in 2008-2009 to 4.3 percent in 2013-2014, with a total enrollment of 3,921, resulting in a dropout count of 167.?Tech has the biggest improvements we saw in our high schools,” said Latham. “There?s certainly a lot of coursework, but since it?s more hands-on, there?s almost a guarantee of a job when they graduate.”She said demographically, by district, Lynn is comparable to Lawrence (4.6 percent), Chelsea (6.7), Springfield (7.2) and Brockton (3.9).Likewise, Peabody district is down from 2.5 to 1.4 percent, with a high school enrollment of 1,825, resulting in a total dropout count of 26.Peabody School Superintendent Joseph A. Mastrocola said that figure is the lowest it?s been since 2006-2007. However, Mastrocola still isn?t satisfied.?We have 26 kids out of 1,800, and I?m not happy about that,” Mastrocola said. “I?m not going to rest until kids make a commitment to stay in school. We have good planning from teachers and administration all-around to be able to lower the rate, but we don?t want anyone to drop out.”Mastrocola said it doesn?t matter what the socioeconomic group is, but a dropout is a dropout. He aims for the top and, like Latham, that number should be zero.Collectively, Latham and Mastrocola said most of the variables are not necessarily due to academic issues. They cited teen pregnancy, discouragement, failing a subject or two, economic reasons, emotional problems and family issues.But, said Latham, Lynn doesn?t expel students, regardless of the reason.Although Saugus increased from 2.4 percent to 2.8 percent from 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, in 2010-2011, those figures are down from a high of 5.0 percent.Swampscott district decreased from 1.5 percent to 0.4 percent, with a total high school enrollment of 720 and a total dropout count of three.