Two key New Hampshire lawmakers today expressed alarm over new data on high school dropouts. The lawmakers, both Republican, also blamed Governor Jeanne Shaheen for the state's educational troubles. NHPR's David Darman has more.
The new data from the Department of Education looks at drop out rates in a new way. The data shows that a large number of teenagers are leaving the public school system, well before they graduate. Senate Education chairman Jane O'Hearn says the report shows that nearly 20 percent of secondary students are dropping out, and she says that rate is much too high.
02 124 In real terms that means nearly one out of every five students does not graduate from a public high school. And in certain towns, the statistics are even more startling. In franklin the dropout rate is 50 percent, in dover its 23 percent, and in my hometown of Nashua it is 35 percent. 02 149
O'hearn and House Education chairman Warren Henderson, both Republicans, say a legislative education bill from the last session could have reduced dropout rates. Henderson says the measure could have improved teacher and school accountability, and allowed charter schools in the state for the first time, but that governor Jeanne Shaheen, a democrat, vetoed the bill. Henderson blames the governor for depriving students of improved instruction and real school choice.
02 1111 and let?s be clear. Jeanne shaheen was governor every single day that the students counted in this report were in high school. She was governor when they dropped out and became casualties of the system over which she presided. She was governor when they became the human face of the failure to improve our schools. 02 1126
Officials of the Department of Education say they agree with lawmakers that the state?s dropout rate is too high. And they say they are working on measures to improve the disappointing statistics. But Nicholas Donohue, commissioner of the education department, takes issue with the notion that the Republican backed education bill would have potentially lowered dropout rates, by creating charter schools.
05 22 I think it?s a little simplistic to simply say school choice, charter schools. There?s debate about the effectiveness of charter schools and school choice, whether there?s any difference in school performance around the country. There?s issues about how to get them implemented in nh. So, that?s a complicated issue.. 05 43
Donohue also indicated that the Department of Education planned to publicly discuss the new findings about the dropout rate next week, in conjunction with the New Hampshire Center for Public Policy Studies.
In the meantime, a member of Governor Shaheen?s staff was upset with the two Republican lawmakers who are trying to blame the governor for not supporting their version of education reform. Legal Counsel Judy Reardon says both lawmakers have failed for years to support the governor?s reform measures.
07 warren Henderson and jane ohearn, and the other anti public school republicans in the legislature, have opposed every initiative governor shaheen fought for that would improve public schools. 17 they opposed her kindergarten bill. They opposed funding for the best schools leadership institute. They opposed her accountability legislation. 07 29
Now that new data is becoming available about real high school drop out rates, lawmakers may be able to find common ground on new solutions to the problem. But even if lawmakers find a way to lower the dropout rate, the debate over reforming education is probably far from done.
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