Archive: Around Town

Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso said last week that the district's High School graduation rate has met the district's goal of 90% as of August's graduating ceremony.  As of the commencement ceremony in June 86% of seniors in their four year cohort graduated, with 40% achieving 'Regents With Advanced Designation'.  Three students graduated at the end of August, which brought the rate up to 90%.

"Our goal was to have a 5 year graduation rate of 90%," Pettograsso said.  "We're hoping to increase that, but that was our goal and we did meet it with a four-year outcome as of August."

The June figures were down from last year, when 89% graduated in June, 56% earning Advanced Designation.  But by August the graduation rate rose to 90% this year and last year.  However, last year's cohort did better academically, with 56% earning Regents Advanced Designation and 60% receiving credit for Advanced Placement (AP) classes.  This year 41% graduated with Advanced Designation, and 41% with AP.

"We are always around 90%," Pettograsso said.  "Some years we've gone down to 85% or 86%  At times, depending on the number, one student is 2% or 3%.  So rather than looking at percentages I prefer to look at numbers."


The actual numbers are small enough that even one student makes a difference in the percentages.  86% of Last June's graduating seniors amounted to 74 students.  The three who graduated in August brought that number up to 90%.  Students with disabilities did better last year percentage-wise, with 83% graduating last year, but only 75% this year.  In both years 15 students with disabilities graduated.

"Certainly we can do better," Pettograsso told the board.  "Our kids are amazing, but one of the great things at the high school is the student support team.  Every week they are meeting and looking at students."

Evidently that is working, especially for Economically disadvantaged students.  Last year 64% (9 students) of economically disadvantaged students graduated, while their wealthier classmates' graduation rate was 93% (69 students) in June, rising to 95% in August.  But this year the numbers told a different story.  By August 89% (64 students) of students who are not economically disadvantaged graduated, while 93% (13 students) of those who are considered economically disadvantaged got their diplomas.

The same occurred with male and female students.  Last year more male students (93%) than female (85%) graduated by August.  But this year the percentages flipped, with 90% of female students graduating versus the slightly lower percentage of males (89%).

Pettograsso said administrators are using new tools provided by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) to track progress.  She said a new mentoring system is encouraging more students to stay the course, even if it takes longer to earn their degree.

"Last year there were a number of students who were thinking about dropping out, or who were looking at not not passing, particularly five year students," she said.  "We assigned them to different administrators and other people in the high school.  Their job was to get them to stay involved, and we did get a number of kids through by doing that."

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