An increasing number of high school seniors in Sacramento County are failing to secure a diploma, according to a report released by a county advisory board Tuesday.
With fewer high school students graduating in the midst of an economic downturn, county officials have expressed concern that the local economy could be further hurt by unschooled workers.
The percentage of seniors who reach graduation fell to less than 80 percent last year from just over 86 percent in 2004, according to California Department of Education data.
The report was part of the yearly "children's report card" presented by the Sacramento County Children's Coalition to the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.
The organization – an advisory body to the board – gathers data on issues affecting county youth, including education, health and safety.
Sinking graduation numbers were at the forefront of their report.
"We need to refocus the policy agenda so kids become a part of the debate," said Jeff Cuneo, an assistant juvenile public defender who works with the Sacramento County Children's Coalition. "Once you include kids, you start asking yourself a new host of questions."
Despite slumping graduation rates among seniors, the number of students who make it through all four years of high school has risen in Sacramento County.
Cuneo questioned the accuracy of those statistics.
"My assumption is that they're losing track of a lot of these kids along the way," Cuneo said. "They just lose them. So they don't count them as people who didn't graduate. They just don't count them at all."
A number of high school students joined the Sacramento County Children's Coalition in alerting the board to the issues facing county youth.
Michael Ximenez, a senior at Sacramento Academic and Vocational Academy, said he's seen many of his classmates drop out.
"If a teacher can get on a more one-on-one basis with students, I think that would help bring up the graduation rates," he said.
Organization officials said the slumping graduation rates would likely have a negative impact on county employment rates and average salary numbers.
While the Sacramento County Children's Coalition generally shies away from making policy recommendations, Cuneo said policymakers should consider supporting a "greater variety of schools" including vocational programs.
The organization will now begin sharing its findings with local school boards across Sacramento County.
Cuneo said he hopes the "report card" will also serve as a "tool for normal people" lobbying policymakers for education reform.
Call The Bee's Robert Faturechi, (916) 321-1098.
