Public High School Graduation Rates: Newark City and the State of New Jersey Essay Example
Public High School Graduation Rates: Newark City and the State of New Jersey
Public high school graduation rates can be used as a tool to measure the effectiveness of a particular education program. However, choosing a formula that accurately reflects the strength and weaknesses of a high school has proven to be quite difficult and even controversial. In 2010, the Newark Public School district reported a 55 percent graduation rate among Newark City high schools (Newark Public Schools, pg 4). However, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie challenges the NPS’s findings. Christie argues that, “The Newark City graduation rate is 29 percent”(Christie 4.29). Both claims, stemming from low Newark City graduation rates, seem to conflict with the 94.7 percent graduation rate reported by the State of New Jersey in 2010 (NJPS: Fact Sheet).These inconsistencies indicate that the different ways of interpreting graduation rates may be exploited to reflect the interests of a person or group. Because of this, it is important to analyze and interpret the graduation rates reported to ensure that the claims are an accurate representation of the data.
New Jersey Governor Christie’s argument that, “For a young man or woman who is entering the ninth grade in Newark this year, they have a 29 percent graduation rate,” may be construed as misleading (Christie 5/1/2012). The argument does not claim that only 29 percent of Newark freshman will graduate; rather, it suggests that only 29 percent of the current freshman class will graduate within four years and also pass the High School Proficiency Assessment (NPS Vision). Understandably, Newark Public Schools, representing the Newark City High Schools, responded to the Governor’s claim by interpreting the data themselves. The NPS claimed that, “55 percent of Newark Freshman will graduate in four years” (NPS Vision) While these claims are radically different, they stem from the analysis and interpretation of the same data set. (NJDOE: Graduate
Public high school graduation rates can be used as a tool to measure the effectiveness of a particular education program. However, choosing a formula that accurately reflects the strength and weaknesses of a high school has proven to be quite difficult and even controversial. In 2010, the Newark Public School district reported a 55 percent graduation rate among Newark City high schools (Newark Public Schools, pg 4). However, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie challenges the NPS’s findings. Christie argues that, “The Newark City graduation rate is 29 percent”(Christie 4.29). Both claims, stemming from low Newark City graduation rates, seem to conflict with the 94.7 percent graduation rate reported by the State of New Jersey in 2010 (NJPS: Fact Sheet).These inconsistencies indicate that the different ways of interpreting graduation rates may be exploited to reflect the interests of a person or group. Because of this, it is important to analyze and interpret the graduation rates reported to ensure that the claims are an accurate representation of the data.
New Jersey Governor Christie’s argument that, “For a young man or woman who is entering the ninth grade in Newark this year, they have a 29 percent graduation rate,” may be construed as misleading (Christie 5/1/2012). The argument does not claim that only 29 percent of Newark freshman will graduate; rather, it suggests that only 29 percent of the current freshman class will graduate within four years and also pass the High School Proficiency Assessment (NPS Vision). Understandably, Newark Public Schools, representing the Newark City High Schools, responded to the Governor’s claim by interpreting the data themselves. The NPS claimed that, “55 percent of Newark Freshman will graduate in four years” (NPS Vision) While these claims are radically different, they stem from the analysis and interpretation of the same data set. (NJDOE: Graduate