By comparing the number of students in 12th grade with the number of students in 9th grade, researchers determined the “promoting power” of schools as a way to study high school compensation rates. | |||
School District |
Total Number of |
Number Schools |
Percent Schools |
| Indianapolis | 5 | 5 | 100.0 |
| El Paso, Texas | 8 | 7 | 87.5 |
| Detroit | 22 | 17 | 77.3 |
| Dallas | 24 | 18 | 75.0 |
| San Antonio | 8 | 6 | 75.0 |
| Milwaukee | 15 | 11 | 73.3 |
| Houston | 25 | 18 | 72.0 |
| Philadelphia | 33 | 22 | 66.7 |
| Columbus | 17 | 11 | 64.7 |
| New York City | 100 | 64 | 64.0 |
| Austin, Texas | 10 | 6 | 60.0 |
| Chicago | 61 | 36 | 59.0 |
| Baltimore | 16 | 9 | 56.3 |
| Fort Worth | 11 | 6 | 54.6 |
| Denver | 10 | 5 | 50.0 |
| Oklahoma City | 8 | 4 | 50.0 |
| Cleveland | 13 | 5 | 38.5 |
| District of Columbia | 15 | 5 | 33.3 |
| Nashville-Davidson County, Tenn. | 13 | 4 | 30.8 |
| Kansas City | 10 | 3 | 30.0 |
| Tucson, Ariz. | 10 | 3 | 30.0 |
| Duval County, Fla. | 18 | 5 | 27.8 |
| Orleans Parish, La. | 18 | 4 | 22.2 |
| Portland, Ore. | 10 | 2 | 20.0 |
| Memphis, Tenn. | 27 | 4 | 14.8 |
| San Diego | 18 | 2 | 11.1 |
| Charlotte-Mecklenburg, N.C. | 11 | 1 | 9.1 |
| San Francisco | 12 | 1 | 8.3 |
| Boston | 15 | 1 | 67 |
| Long Beach, Calif. | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Phoenix Union High, Ariz. | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| San Jose, Calif. | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Seattle | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Virginia Beach, Va. | 9 | 0 | 0 |
NOTE: The 14 studies are available online at www.law.harvard.edu/groups/civilrights/publications/dropout.html. SOURCE: “How Many Central City Schools Have a Severe Dropout Problem, Where Are They Located, and Who Attends Them?” by Robert Balfanz and Netti Legters of the Center for Social Organization of Schools at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. | |||
A version of this article appeared in the January 24, 2001 edition of Education Week as Attrition in City High Schools