Sweet Home High School’s attendance and dropout rates improved in 2001-02 along with nearly all other areas, but the school’s report card rating dropped.
SHHS had a rating of strong on last year’s report card. This year, the school was rated satisfactory, one step below.
“I was a little disappointed we dropped,” Principal Pat Stineff said. “They have changed the way they tabulate the scores.”
Stineff called the Oregon Department of Education to find out more about how the scores are calculated.
Previously, report cards counted improvement as part of the final rating. SHHS has improved its dropout rate continually since 1998-99.
In 1998-99, the attendance rate was 86.1 percent, and the dropout rate was 9.8 percent. In 2000-01, the attendance rate was 88.4 percent, and the dropout rate was 6.1 percent. In 2001-02, the attendance rate improved to 89.6 percent, and the dropout rate dropped to 5.1 percent.
The state average dropout rate for 2000-01 was 5.2 percent and for 2001-02 was 4.9 percent.
Being below the state average dropout rate and the average attendance rate, 91.7 percent, earned SHHS a low rating for student behavior.
The school has improved its dropout and attendance statistics by better tracking students who move, especially out of state, and by directing more students, who would dropout, into GED and alternative education programs, Stineff said.
“I’m proud of the way our kids and teachers have been working,” Stineff said. “They’ve been improving.”
All scores, including math, were up in 2001-02, Stineff said. The number of students meeting reading requirements increased from 40 to 50 percent. Writing increased from 73 to 80 percent. Math knowledge and skills, the multiple choice math test and the toughest state test, increased from 34 to 44 percent. Math problem solving increased from 59 to 60 percent.
“We’re working hard with the kids and doing a better job of helping them get there,” Stineff said. Classes are larger, with nearly 200 seniors this year, and they are still improving.
“I feel really good about what all the teachers are doing,” Stineff said.
The school earned a satisfactory mark for student performance.
In testing participation, the school earned an exceptional mark, with 97.9 percent of students being tested compared to a state average of 94.7 percent.
“We improved in everything,” Stineff said. “We’re proud of that. It’s frustrating to improve in every area and get a low in it…. We’ll keep trying. We’re hoping for a strong next year.”