Last Wednesday, for the first time ever, the California Department of Education released accurate high school dropout rates for every school and district in the state. And the results are staggering – nearly one out of every four public high school students in California does not graduate.

At a press conference in Los Angeles with California Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O'Connell, PICO leader Eva Vargas, from the San Diego Organizing Project, said now is not the time to point fingers in blame, but rather, to come together as a community for honest dialogue about what's working and what's not working in California schools.

"Reducing the dropout rate is everyone's business and having accurate data is an important first step," said Vargas. Ms. Vargas knows first-hand the causes and the consequences of students dropping out of school. Her grandson stopped attending school this year when he felt unsafe and disconnected from his high school.

"As people of faith, we believe we have an individual and a collective responsibility to be part of the solution to addressing the dropout issue," Ms. Vargas said. "This isn't just a crisis for our schools or for our students and their families. It's a crisis that affects each of us and that each of us has to help solve."

In the past, California districts have reported estimated dropout statistics for their schools, which have often been significantly lower than the dropout statistics reported by outside experts. Six years ago, SB 1453 created the Statewide Student Identifier, putting into place a system that allows districts and the state to keep track of every public school student in California and enabling yesterday's release of accurate dropout statistics.

Over the coming weeks and months, PICO organizations throughout California will be convening local forums to engage parents, students, teachers, and others throughout their communities on the causes and solutions to the high number of youth dropping out of school.

For more information on PICO California, visit www.picocalifornia.org

Media Coverage
1 in 4 students drop out of Calif. public high schools
Op-Ed: Shedding some light on dropout rates
Tri-city school districts fare better than state, county on dropouts
Solutions to our shameful dropout rate within reach

More information
California Department of Education Web site with new dropout data
California Department of Education Press release (with PICO quote)
San Diego Union Tribune Op-Ed by SDOP Clergy Leaders
New Dropout Statistics Make Clear: The Time to Act is Now