Some cities make gains curbing dropouts, not Cleveland

WASHINGTON -- A national study finds the high school dropout problem is getting better in some big cities where it's most severe but not in Cleveland.

While most big cities are making gains, 19 have lost ground, including Cleveland. Its graduation rate dropped 4.9 percentage points to just 34.4 percent.

Philadelphia, Tucson, Arizona and Kansas City have made huge gains over the past decade, boosting graduation rates by 20 percentage points or more, according to the report released today by America's Promise Alliance.

The study of the nation's 50 largest cities puts Columbus (Ohio) among the gainers, with a graduation rate that went up 12.6 percentage points since the mid-1990s to 44.7 percent.

The America's Promise Alliance is teaming up with the Cleveland Schools to offer information for parents and the community to stop students from dropping out.

Dropout Prevention Summit

May 22

8:00am-5:00pm

Cleveland Convention Center

Family and Community Empowerment Conference

May 22-23

8:00am-5:00pm

Cleveland Convention Center