Graduation rates in Escambia County fell last year, bucking the statewide trend, according to newly released data from the Florida Department of Education. Even more troubling, only 67.4% of Escambia County’s Black students graduated with their class — state average 82%.
Late Friday afternoon, DOE announced that Florida’s 2021-22 high school graduation rate was 87.3%, an increase of 0.4 percentage points over the 2018-19 pre-pandemic school year. Escambia County’s 2021-22 high school graduation rate was 78.4%, a decrease of 6.4% points compared to the 2018-19 pre-pandemic school year, and down from 87% from 2020-21.
The. 2021-22 for high schools in Escambia County:
- Escambia High — 72.8 % – 60.3% for Black students
- Northview High — 86 % – 83% for Black students (10 kids)
- Pensacola High — 79.2 % – 67.2% for Black students
- Pine Forest High — 76.6 % – 73,7%. for Black students
- Tate High — 85.9 % – 87% for Black students (54 kids)
- Washington High — 80.3 % – 71.6%. for Black students
- West Florida High — 98 % – 100% for Black students (64 kids)
- Success Academy — 61.5 %. – 55.3% for Black students
Superintendent Smith was on the radio this morning. The link is below. He seemed to say that there really isn’t much that “he” can do. He never did explain why so many students cannot read or do math at grade level but did seem to say that the solution to the test problem was to keep having the students take the test over and over until they eventually passed.
https://www.newsradio923.com/podcast/011622-dr-tim-smith-superintendent-of-escambia-county-schools/
I wonder how many non-profits directly or indirectly receive tax-payer funded money to allegedly help these students to change their trajectories including the School district. In my observation, the heartbreaking truth for Escambia County is the profitability of poverty and the domino effects of it generate jobs. Unlike Santa Rosa county, which provides high quality educational opportunities for their children and jobs with a future, Escambia County creates jobs based on misery. How will the Children’s Trust make a difference?