Here’s how many Beaufort County students dropped out of school last year

The number of Beaufort County School District students dropping out of high school increased slightly from 2016 to 2017. Yet, it’s still an improvement from four years ago, according to state education data released Tuesday.

The S.C. Department of Education defines the dropout rate as the proportion of students who leave high school without completing a program of studies and do not transfer to another school or institution.

During Superintendent Jeff Moss’ tenure, the district’s overall dropout rate has declined .6 percent — from 121 students or 2.1 percent in 2014 to 98 students or 1.5 percent in 2017.

But from 2016 to 2017, the most recent data available, the rate increased .2 percent, according to the S.C. Department of Education.

Since 2014, the district has participated in an annual “Knockout Dropout Day.” Educators and volunteers spend one Saturday each fall knocking on the doors of students who have not returned to school since summer break.

The district’s goal is to persuade students to return to school before Oct. 1, when the state officially designates students as dropouts.

“I think that when an adult knocks on the door of students who have dropped out and show that they have a personal interest and care whether or not they’re in school, that can make a huge difference in the life of a student,” Moss said.

Moss also gave credit for the long-term decline in dropouts to the district’s credit recovery program, which allows students who fail a course an opportunity to recover the credit and return them to a four-year graduation path, as well as to the district’s alternative school, Island’s Academy.

For the most part, the initiatives are producing the results that the district had hoped for.

From 2014 to 2017, the dropout rate for high school males of color in Beaufort County declined the most of any population segment — from 54 students or 3.6 percent in 2014 to 42 students or 2.5 percent in 2017.

The dropout rate among white females over the past four years declined by 1 percent during that time period, and the rate among white males declined .2 percent.

But not every population segment of high school students saw their dropout rate decline during that time.

The rate among females of color increased slightly — from 22 students or 1.5 percent in 2014 to 28 students or 1.6 percent in 2017.

Moss said it demonstrates that the district still has room for improvement.

“It was great that we saw a decline in some of those populations where the state saw an increase, but obviously our goal is to get as close to zero dropouts as possible,” he said.

The district’s overall improvement in its dropout rate over the past four years was greater than the statewide trend.

South Carolina’s dropout rate declined by .2 percent during that time — from 2.4 percent in 2017 to 2.6 percent in 2014.

This story was originally published July 25, 2018 at 9:24 AM.