Kern County Times

Taft Union High School's dropout rate in the 2019-20 school year increased by 36.8% compared to the previous school year’s dropout rate of 1.9%, according to the California Department of Education (CDE).

CDE data of graduation and dropout rates confirms there is a growing achievement gap between Latino, Black, and English learner students. The achievement gap refers to the disparities in academic performance associated with race and class.

According to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2018, of the 48 states where data was collected, Black males remain at the bottom of four-year high school graduation rates.

Closing the achievement gap earlier in the schooling process, such as during elementary school, can improve high school graduation rates and decrease dropout rates. Individually tailored student support is one way that is proposed to accomplish this.

In The Long-Term Impact of Systemic Student Support in Elementary School: Reducing High School Dropout, Terrence J. Lee-St. John, a Biostatistician at the Research Department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, says, “Students often fail to complete high school for complex reasons that often manifest long before they reach high school. Individually tailored student support during elementary school can lead to lasting and meaningful effects.”

Ranking	School	Drop-out rate	2018-19 Drop-out rate
1	Millennium High Alternative	0	0
1	Piedmont High School	0	0
1	Emery Secondary School	0	2.7
1	Amador County Special Education	0	0
1	Durham High School	0	0
1	Mid Valley High School (Continuation)	0	0
1	Williams Junior/Senior High School	0	3.4
1	Freedom High School	0	1.4
1	Middle College High School	0	0
1	Golden Sierra Junior Senior High School	0	2.5
1	Kingsburg High School	0	0
1	Oasis Continuation High School	0	--
1	Princeton Junior-Senior High School	0	0
1	Ferndale High School	0	0
1	Desert Junior-Senior High School	0	0
1	Frazier Mountain High School	0	3.8
1	Earl F. Johnson High School (Continuation)	0	1.7
1	Whitney (Gretchen) High School	0	0
1	Mayfair High School	0	1.2
1	South Hills High School	0	0
1	Arena High School (Continuation)	0	11.1
1	El Segundo High School	0	0
1	Anderson W. Clark Magnet High School	0	0
1	La Canada High School	0	0.6
1	Lake Balboa College Preparatory Magnet K-12	0	0
…
616	La Sierra High School	2.4	3.3
616	Da Vinci Science	2.4	4.2
616	Academy (The)- SF @McAteer	2.4	3.6
616	Palmdale Aerospace Academy	2.4	0.6
616	El Capitan High School	2.4	7.4
630	Tranquillity High School	2.5	2.2
630	Birmingham Community Charter High School	2.5	3.8
630	Malibu High School	2.5	8.9
630	Dos Palos High School	2.5	1.2
630	Monterey High School	2.5	2.8
630	La Quinta High School	2.5	5.7
630	West Valley High School	2.5	3.2
630	Natomas Charter	2.5	1.8
630	Coast Union High School	2.5	1.8
630	Will C. Wood High School	2.5	3
630	Sonoma Valley High School	2.5	3.3
630	Sonora High School	2.5	0.2
630	Soledad High School	2.5	1.5
630	Cesar E. Chavez Learning Academies - Arts/Theatre/Entertain Mag	2.5	8.1
630	Applied Technology Center	2.5	3.7
630	San Diego Metro Career and Tech	2.5	6.7
630	Magnolia Science Academy 4	2.5	4.2
647	Colusa High School	2.6	3.8
647	Ygnacio Valley High School	2.6	2.2
647	Arcata High School	2.6	1.8
647	Taft Union High School	2.6	1.9
647	El Camino Real Charter High School	2.6	5.7
647	Katella High School	2.6	1.3
647	Laguna Creek High School	2.6	1.7
647	Casa Roble Fundamental High School	2.6	1.6
647	Redlands Senior High School	2.6	3.2
647	Lodi High School	2.6	7.9
647	Atascadero Choices in Education (ACE)	2.6	6.3
647	Palo Alto High School	2.6	3.7
647	Milpitas High School	2.6	0.9
647	Central Valley High School	2.6	1.6
647	Live Oak High School	2.6	5.5
647	Corning High School	2.6	5.9
647	Oxnard High School	2.6	4.6
647	El Diamante High School	2.6	1.1
647	Grizzly ChalleNGe Charter	2.6	3.5
647	Orange Cove High School	2.6	8
647	Magnolia Science Academy 2	2.6	10.8
647	Pride Continuation	2.6	0
647	North County Trade Tech High School	2.6	4
670	Amador High School	2.7	2.7
670	Pinole Valley High School	2.7	3.9
670	Lassen High School	2.7	0.5
670	Sylmar Charter High School	2.7	6
670	Palisades Charter High School	2.7	1.6
670	Centennial High School	2.7	2.8
…
2167	Oroville High Community Day	81.8	90.9
2169	Gould Educational Center	82.4	17.2
2170	Come Back Charter	83.7	--
2171	Gateway High School (Continuation)	84.6	36.4
2172	Tulare County Court	85.7	54.1
2173	Dan Jacobs	88.9	86.7
2174	Matrix for Success Academy	89.6	--
2175	Violet Heintz Education Academy	90	66.7
2175	EPIC de Cesar Chavez	90	85.3
2177	Escuela Popular/Center for Training and Careers Family Learning	90.2	90.1
2178	Independence Charter Academy	90.3	6.3
2179	Five Keys Adult School (SF Sheriff's)	91.4	73.8
2180	Highlands Community Charter	91.6	76.2
2181	S.F. County Special Education	91.7	75
2182	SIATech Academy South	92.1	87.7
2183	Five Keys Independence HS (SF Sheriff's)	92.4	24.8
2184	Clear Passage Educational Center	92.9	--
2185	Boron Junior-Senior High School	93.2	0
2186	Laytonville High School	93.8	3.2
2187	Five Keys Charter (SF Sheriff's)	95.5	63.3
2188	San Bernardino County Special Education	96.1	47.4
2189	Shasta County Independent Study Charter	97.3	44.3
2190	Family First Charter	98	92.7
2191	New Opportunities Charter	98.2	96.5
2192	Special Education	98.6	--