WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, SportsDropout rates decline across Louisiana

Dropout rates decline across Louisiana

By Kiran Chawla - email

 BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) - Across Louisiana, including East Baton Rouge Parish, school dropout rates are on the decline.

EBR officials said Hurricane Katrina spiked the dropout rate, but since then, more kids are staying in school.

"I have students that are going to graduate that I didn't think had a chance at all," said Glenda Worm a teacher at McKinley High School.

Worm is a teacher of Louisiana Virtual School (LVS). Students there take the exact same class offered at school, but online. It's just one of the many programs officials said is helping improve the dropout rate.

"I didn't really like school because of classes," said Sarah Peterson. "I didn't like to be around a loud group of people, so I dropped out."

Peterson is a LVS success story. She returned to school and is now working towards her diploma.

Meanwhile, senior Madison Cashio's family is getting ready to celebrate because of the virtual class.

"I have six brothers and I'm going to be one of the first to have a graduation," said Cashio.

Statewide, since 2003, there's been a steady decline in dropout rates and a sharp drop from 4.8 percent in the 2008 through 2009 year to 3.5 percent in the 2009 through 2010 year.

It's a similar story in East Baton Rouge Parish, where there was a 6.8 percent dropout rate in the 2008 through 2009 year and it fell to 4.2 percent the last reporting year.

"If I would have dropped out, I would have probably ended up working at McDonald's and staying with my mom the rest of my life," Peterson added.

Instead, the sophomore already has college plans and is hoping for a career while investing in her future.

Other programs EBR is using include using upper classmen as mentors, counselors and teachers encouraging education and credit recovery classes.

Click here for more on Louisiana's dropout rates

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