Posted in Education

Before you blame Tim Smith for graduation rate

   January 17, 2023

Escambia County’s 2021-22 high school graduation rate was 78.4%. Some want to blame School Superintendent Tim Smith, but the class of 2022 spent the majority of public education under Superintendent Malcolm Thomas – starting in kindergarten in 2009 and through the first semester of their sophomore year.

Look at the Reading/English Language Arts test scores of these seniors under Thomas:

Third Grade – 2013: 45% below grade level; Level 1-(lowest) 20% Level 2-25%

Fifth Grade – 2015: 54% below grade level; Level 1-25% Level 2-29%

Eighth Grade – 2018: 49% below grade level; Level 1-25% Level 2-24%

Ninth Grade – 2019: 53% below grade level; Level 1-29% Level 2-24%

The 21.6% that failed to graduate tracks with the Level 1 percentages.

I hope the Escambia Children’s Trust is paying attention.

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