Caddo facilities study results

Results from the Caddo Parish School Board's comprehensive facilities study are in, but this is just the beginning.
School Board members have 20 days to digest a 5000+ document showing the condition of all public schools and district facilities. The study is a part of the Vision 2020 plan to reshape schools.
In a presentation to the board this month, representatives from Houston-based Parsons Commercial Technology Group said the total estimated cost to raise conditions of Caddo schools to a good rating would range from $548 million to $803 million.
The report showed that of the 79 schools and sites assessed, 73 percent are in poor condition and 19 percent are in fair condition.
Concerns were raised about funds being used to maintain abandoned buildings, an issue also addressed in the study.  Read more http://www.shreveporttimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2010100630020.
The board will hear recommendations from schools Superintendent Gerald Dawkins on July 27 about changes that should be made. This could include school consolidations, closures or other configurations such as more K-6 schools.
Share |

Less high school grads but more going to college?

The Wall Street Journal reported today that fewer low-income and moderate-income students attended college in 2004 than in 1992. Here is that story: Fewer Low-Income Students Going to College - Real Time Economics - WSJ

For Louisiana that statistic is a bit difficult to find.

Both the Louisiana Department of Education and the Louisiana Board of Regents don't keep track of this information on the data available on their websites. But poking around, we found other statistics that were just as interesting.

In the latest information available (the 2007-2008 school year) there were 34,403 graduates from Louisiana public high schools. That's less than the 2000-01 school year -- 38, 314.

Those who graduated from high school in 2000-01 and became first-time full-time freshman was 15, 299. Of those, 39 percent of 5,900 students needed developmental courses in college.

Compare that to students who graduated from 2007-08. Out of 34,403 students, 15,958 became first-time full-time freshmen and 4,471 or 28 percent needed development courses.

Yes, less needed developmental courses but there are less are graduating over all. So how does that compare to on the district level? The patterns are similar.

Even though there more high school graduates than in years past going straight into college and less folks going into remedial courses, there are also less graduating high schoolers. Does that mean that those who do stay and graduate are more likely to go to a college/university? Perhaps. That's an interesting question to explore but while there are high school drop outs, there are also college drop outs. So now the question is how to address both problems?

Share|