Set bar higher on dropout rates

Virginia has taken a lonely stand in the struggle to reduce high school dropouts, establishing an acceptable graduation rate as a condition of accreditation.

Few states have dared embrace such high-stakes measures, making Virginia a national pioneer in the field of school accountability.

The question is, quite simply: What's acceptable? Setting the rate too high would unfairly jeopardize certification; too low would remove the incentive for improvement.

The aim of all this is to identify students most in danger of dropping out in early grades, and to give extra attention needed to keep them moving ahead in life, instead of falling behind.

The Board of Education will spend the next several months dissecting and seeking public comments on a target for all high schools to achieve an 80 percent graduation rate.

At first glance, that would be a tough standard for more than a few high schools in Hampton Roads, particularly in Norfolk, which has chronically high dropout rates.

But the state proposal would allow schools to calculate their graduation rates in a manner that could conceal serious deficiencies, undermining the entire effort.

The plan would give schools partial credit for students who obtain a General Education Degree or a certificate of completion. GEDs offer a safety net for students who have fallen behind their peers and are reluctant to remain in school. However, the current proposal gives too much weight to GEDs, thus reducing the incentive for early intervention.

The plan to award points for certificates of completion should be viewed with even greater skepticism. Each school system sets its own criteria for granting certificates, and in some cases, students can qualify merely by attending classes. Showing up is not the same as succeeding in school, and hardly equals a good education.

In some ways, these exceptions create incentives for schools to encourage students to settle for something less than a high school diploma.

It's easy to predict the victims of a system that fosters low expectations. Some students begin early to lag behind their peers. With each passing grade, they have a harder time catching up. A handful of people in the community will call for help, but most will be blinded to the calamity by the sign on the school door reading "Fully Accredited."

Board of Education members say they are sympathetic to those concerns and are open to revisions over the coming months. Gov. Tim Kaine has already offered helpful suggestions that would require individual learning plans for every middle and high school student.

There's no reason to doubt that state leaders want more of Virginia's children to become well-educated, successful adults.

To meet that goal, they should keep their aim high and be unafraid to expect more from the state's schools. The recent history of student performance shows that Virginia's children do better when more is asked of them.