Lowdown on dropouts

Baker High School scored zero percent on a recent test.

This is a good thing.

The test is the school's dropout rate. During the past year, not one student at BHS (or at Burnt River High School in Unity) dropped out of school.

Oregon's statewide dropout rate last year was 4.4 percent.

One year is no trend, of course.

If just a handful of BHS students give up on school during the next year, for instance, the school's dropout rate could exceed the state average.

But statistical analyses aside, we have ample reason to believe Baker High's success at keeping students in school is no happy accident.

School officials have tailored the curriculum to prevent dropouts.

For example, BHS offers students a 22-credit diploma which, though it falls short of Baker's 27-credit standard, does meet minimum state requirements.

Of course we'd prefer that every BHS graduate complete at least 27 credits.

But we'd also rather a student earn a 22-credit diploma than drop out just because 27 — a considerable accomplishment — wasn't attainable.

Baker High School's main goal is to help its students stay on track to receive a diploma.

At that task the school is earning a perfect grade. Even if it is a zero.