The people of Dothan — particularly school administrators, parents, students and boosters of the city’s two high schools — should closely watch what’s going on in Henry County. They should find the plight of the neighboring county’s school system instructive.
Readers may recall that Henry County school officials had an opportunity to combine high schools in Headland and Abbeville after a tornado damaged the Abbeville school so badly that a new facility was needed. There was strong opposition from the public, and the school board relented, leaving Headland High School intact and building a new campus for Abbeville High School.
Today, school officials likely regret that they were swayed by public opinion. Graduation rates in Henry County Schools continue to fall; with a 10-year average of 81.6 percent, the system falls far short of the 90 percent graduation threshold required by the No Child Left Behind Act.
The system has been under a probationary status to allow for improvement for four years. At 79 percent, the current year’s graduation rate is a full 10 points behind last year’s 89 percent, suggesting the schools are going the wrong way fast.
Now the system faces bleak options, such as creating a ninth-grade academy, eliminating staff, closing Headland High School or a combination of moves. Clearly the school system is under the gun, with a state takeover of the system almost a certainty.
As Dothan school officials consider less than ideal options to offset budget shortfalls, they should keep in mind that the almighty dollar, extracurricular sacred cows and misty sentimentality mean nothing when weighed against the education of our young.
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