Campbell County schools: GEDs hold back on-time graduation rate

By Annie McCallum

Published: October 20, 2008

RUSTBURG — Campbell County School Board members got down to data specifics at Monday’s board meeting, where they reviewed the division’s recently released on-time graduation rates.

The new rates, which debuted Oct. 8, are being called more accurate by many educators because, for the first time, rates are calculated by tracking individual students. The rate represents the actual number of students who graduated on time in 2008; previous graduation rates only provided an estimate.

“This specific data … allows us to see where we have our strengths and where we have our weaknesses so we can better help our students,” Linda Gray, director of secondary education, told board members.

Gray briefed officials on the data and how it’s compiled. The on-time rate divides the number of on-time graduates by the number of first-time ninth-graders plus the number of incoming transfers, minus the number of outgoing transfers.

On-time graduates include all students earning any of the five Virginia-recognized diplomas. It does not include GEDs.

Campbell County’s graduation rate and the individual rates at its high schools were lower than surrounding counties. For example, Rustburg High School had an on-time graduation rate of 64.8 percent, which is below the statewide rate of 81 percent.

During the meeting, Superintendent George Nolley acknowledged the situation at Rustburg.

“Our issue was the GED, that brought down our rate,” he said.

Nolley said his numbers showed that, statewide, about 3 percent of students earn a GED, while in Campbell County, that number is 8 percent and at Rustburg it’s 12 percent.

Working to increase graduation rates is a priority for the division, Nolley said, but added that for some students a GED is appropriate. For example, Nolley said students who pursue careers in construction or plumbing earn GEDs because they want to start apprenticeships immediately.

He also added he’s proud of the academics in the county’s high schools; the rates do not diminish that.

“Some people say it’s a measure of quality of a school, but I don’t think it’s a measure of quality,” Nolley said.