North Carolina is among a dozen states that made at least moderate progress from 2002 to 2008 in graduating greater percentages of high school students, according to a new study released this week by three key groups that have helped draw attention to the nation's dropout crisis.

The study, "Building a Grad Nation: Progress and Challenge in Ending the High School Dropout Epidemic," credits a wide array of reform efforts -- including early college high schools, theme-based schools such as those with a STEM focus, and well-designed small schools. But even as it notes important progress, the study warns that the pace of the gains is too slow to meet a national goal of 90 percent graduation by 2020.

The report, released by America's Promise Alliance and was written by Washington, D.C.-based Civic Enterprises and the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, calls for a "Civic Marshall Plan" to mobilize the nation to strengthen its schools with the same kind of focus and commitment to rebuild Europe after World War II.

The nation's overall graduation rate increased from 72.6 percent in 2002 to 74.9 percent in 2008, the study reports, according to averaged freshman graduation rates from the U.S. Department of Education. North Carolina's graduation rate increased from 68.2 percent in 2002 to 72.8 percent in 2008 (greater than the 70.3 percent cohort rate reported by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction for 2008). North Carolina's 4.6 point gain was ranked among 9 other states making "moderate progress," ranging from 4.3 points in Georgia to 7.3 points in Vermont. Two states, Tennessee and New York, are highlighted in the report for making "big gains" of 15.3 points and 10.3 points, respectively.

The study also found that the number of "dropout factory" high schools -- those with graduation rates of 60 percent of less -- declined from 2,007 in 2001 to 1,746 in 2008. North Carolina, however, was one of 17 states that saw an increase in the number of such schools. In North Carolina, the number of the schools increased from 106 to 108 from 2002 to 2008. Nationwide, the study notes that 400,000 fewer students -- a 15 percent reduction -- were enrolled in dropout factories in 2008 compared to 2002.

The progress that the report documents has been the result of clear and focused effort, the authors assert in their executive summary:

"Progress in states and school districts has often been the result of rising to a standard of excellence -- with clear goals and expectations from the state to the classroom, by challenging all students with a more rigorous curriculum to obtain a meaningful diploma that prepares them for college and work, and through a targeted approach sustained over time that provides extra supports to the school leaders, teachers and students who need them the most.

"Progress was not the result of a magic bullet, but a weave of multiple reform efforts, sustained, integrated and improved over time."

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