Report shows big decrease in number of ‘dropout factory’ high schools

WASHINGTON — A new report says the nation has far fewer so-called “dropout factory” high schools these days, down sharply since 2008.

Dropout factories are defined as schools where less than 60 percent of students who started as freshmen remain enrolled four years later. The number dropped from 1,812 in 2008 to 1,040 last year.

Also down since 2008 is the number of high school dropouts, falling from 1 million in 2008 to 750,000 in 2012.

The numbers were released Tuesday in a report from the Alliance for Excellent Education, America’s Promise Alliance, Civic Enterprises, and the Everyone Graduates Center at the School of Education at Johns Hopkins University.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan says the report shows real progress toward ensuring that all students have access to a quality education.

PBS NewsHour education coverage is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make it Happen, a public media initiative made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.