Fernando R. Ledesma Continuation High School’s dropout rate in the 2018-19 school year decreased by 16.4% compared to the previous school year’s dropout rate of 36%, according to the California Department of Education (CDE).
CDE data of graduation and dropout rates confirms there is a growing achievement gap between Latino, Black, and English learner students. The achievement gap refers to the disparities in academic performance associated with race and class.
According to data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics in 2018, of the 48 states where data was collected, Black males remain at the bottom of four-year high school graduation rates.
Closing the achievement gap earlier in the schooling process, such as during elementary school, can improve high school graduation rates and decrease dropout rates. Individually tailored student support is one way that is proposed to accomplish this.
In The Long-Term Impact of Systemic Student Support in Elementary School: Reducing High School Dropout, Terrence J. Lee-St. John, a Biostatistician at the Research Department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, says, “Students often fail to complete high school for complex reasons that often manifest long before they reach high school. Individually tailored student support during elementary school can lead to lasting and meaningful effects.”
| Ranking | School | Drop-out rate | 2017-18 Drop-out rate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Millennium High Alternative | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Piedmont High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Amador County Special Education | 0 | — | |
| 1 | Biggs High School | 0 | 6.5 | |
| 1 | Durham High School | 0 | 1.2 | |
| 1 | Maxwell Sr High School | 0 | 3.4 | |
| 1 | Pierce High School | 0 | 1 | |
| 1 | Mid Valley High School (Continuation) | 0 | 11.8 | |
| 1 | Miramonte High School | 0 | 0.7 | |
| 1 | Middle College High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | California High School | 0 | 0.2 | |
| 1 | Monte Vista High School | 0 | 0.5 | |
| 1 | Kingsburg High School | 0 | 0.8 | |
| 1 | Parlier High School | 0 | 1.5 | |
| 1 | Sierra High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Hamilton High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Princeton Junior-Senior High School | 0 | — | |
| 1 | McKinleyville High School | 0 | 4.7 | |
| 1 | Hoopa Valley High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | South Fork Junior – Senior High School | 0 | 2.7 | |
| 1 | Ferndale High School | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Big Pine High School | 0 | — | |
| 1 | Bishop Union High School | 0 | 1.5 | |
| 1 | Boron Junior-Senior High School | 0 | 2.4 | |
| 1 | Desert Junior-Senior High School | 0 | 0 | |
| … | ||||
| 1873 | Gateway to College Academy | 28.2 | 50 | |
| 1874 | Table Mountain | 28.6 | 26.7 | |
| 1874 | Happy Camp High School | 28.6 | 7.1 | |
| 1874 | Diego Hills Central Public Charter | 28.6 | — | |
| 1877 | Afflerbaugh-Paige Camp | 28.8 | 24.3 | |
| 1878 | Angel’s Gate (Continuation) | 28.9 | 17.6 | |
| 1878 | Eric Birch High School (Continuation) | 28.9 | 21.6 | |
| 1880 | Abraham Lincoln Alternative | 29 | 20 | |
| 1881 | Orangewood High School (Continuation) | 29.1 | 23.7 | |
| 1882 | HomeTech Charter | 29.2 | 31.8 | |
| 1883 | Youth Opportunities Unlimited | 29.3 | 33.1 | |
| 1884 | San Andreas Continuation High School | 29.4 | 27.9 | |
| 1884 | John B. Allard | 29.4 | 48.8 | |
| 1884 | Tustin Connect | 29.4 | 21.7 | |
| 1884 | Scholar Plus Online Learning | 29.4 | — | |
| 1888 | Pacific Career and Technology High School | 29.5 | 16.4 | |
| 1889 | Colusa Alternative Home | 29.6 | 25 | |
| 1889 | Central High School | 29.6 | 35.5 | |
| 1891 | Desert Oasis High School (Continuation) | 29.7 | 12.7 | |
| 1891 | California Virtual Academy at Sutter | 29.7 | 37.7 | |
| 1893 | Ellington (Duke) High School (Continuation) | 29.8 | 29.7 | |
| 1894 | Bidwell Continuation High School | 29.9 | 25.7 | |
| 1895 | Captain John Continuation High School | 30 | 6.3 | |
| 1895 | Noyo High School (Continuation) | 30 | 35.7 | |
| 1895 | MERIT Academy | 30 | 8.3 | |
| 1898 | Fernando R. Ledesma Continuation High School | 30.1 | 36 | |
| 1898 | Opportunities for Learning – Duarte | 30.1 | 34.9 | |
| 1900 | Phoenix Continuation | 30.2 | 26.3 | |
| 1901 | Mt. Lukens Continuation | 30.4 | 13 | |
| 1901 | La Sierra High (Alternative) | 30.4 | 35.8 | |
| 1901 | Monarch | 30.4 | 32 | |
| 1904 | Avalon High School | 30.6 | 31.9 | |
| 1904 | Deep Creek Academy | 30.6 | 38.5 | |
| 1906 | Mt. Olive Innovation and Technology High School | 30.8 | 29.3 | |
| 1906 | Sierra Home | 30.8 | 4.8 | |
| 1906 | Gilbert High School (Continuation) | 30.8 | 28.7 | |
| 1906 | San Joaquin County Special Education | 30.8 | 16.7 | |
| 1910 | R. K. Lloyde High School | 30.9 | 18.1 | |
| 1910 | Pioneer Technical Center | 30.9 | 44.3 | |
| 1912 | Vista West Continuation High School | 31 | 29.8 | |
| 1912 | California Virtual Academy at Kings | 31 | 30.7 | |
| 1912 | Inspire Charter School – South | 31 | 29.3 | |
| 1915 | Horizons School: Independent Study | 31.3 | 22.2 | |
| 1915 | Bill M. Manes High School | 31.3 | 7.1 | |
| 1917 | Confluence Continuation High School | 31.4 | 16.7 | |
| 1917 | La Entrada Continuation High School | 31.4 | 32.1 | |
| 1917 | San Luis Obispo County Community | 31.4 | 16.9 | |
| 1920 | Royal Sunset (Continuation) | 31.5 | 21.1 | |
| 1920 | Foothill High School | 31.5 | 1.3 | |
| 1920 | Pathway Independent Study | 31.5 | 30.8 | |
| 1920 | New Designs Charter School-Watts | 31.5 | 45.8 | |
| … | ||||
| 2150 | Santa Cruz County Court | 74.3 | 36.6 | |
| 2151 | S.F. County Special Education | 75 | — | |
| 2152 | San Diego County Court | 75.3 | 78.3 | |
| 2153 | San Bernardino County Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center | 75.7 | 68.9 | |
| 2154 | Highlands Community Charter | 76.2 | 60.9 | |
| 2155 | Solano County Community | 76.5 | 78.9 | |
| 2156 | MethodSchools | 77.8 | 45.8 | |
| 2157 | Center for Alternative Learning | 78.9 | 78.9 | |
| 2158 | Gateway College and Career Academy | 81.6 | 40.4 | |
| 2159 | Clovis Community Day Secondary School | 83.3 | — | |
| 2160 | Sonoma County Court | 84.6 | 67.6 | |
| 2161 | EPIC de Cesar Chavez | 85.3 | 63.5 | |
| 2162 | Dan Jacobs | 86.7 | — | |
| 2162 | Santa Cruz County Career Advancement Charter | 86.7 | — | |
| 2164 | SIATech Academy South | 87.7 | 55.2 | |
| 2165 | Sonoma County Alternative Education Programs | 88.9 | 36.4 | |
| 2166 | Opportunity Youth Academy | 89.1 | 42.6 | |
| 2167 | Hart-Ransom Academic Charter | 89.5 | 4.5 | |
| 2168 | Escuela Popular/Center for Training and Careers Family Learning | 90.1 | 90.1 | |
| 2168 | Santa Clara County Special Education | 90.1 | 20.3 | |
| 2170 | Siskiyou County Special Education | 90.9 | — | |
| 2170 | Oroville High Community Day | 90.9 | 90.9 | |
| 2172 | Family First Charter | 92.7 | 71.6 | |
| 2173 | Civicorps Corpsmember Academy | 93.3 | 31.8 | |
| 2174 | New Opportunities Charter | 96.5 | 93.8 | |
