The White House announced that the nation’s High School graduation rates has increased, in fact increased to a new high of 83.2% in the 2014-2015 school year.  This increase is approximately 1% more than the previous school year. The White House stated that this increase reflects that schools “are making to better prepare students for college and careers after graduation."

The really question for me is: is the increased High School graduation rates preparing students for college and careers, if the education they have received has not changed?  Does the fact that more young adults are graduating from High School translate to these students being better prepared for college and their careers?  If the education they receive has not improved then how is the increased graduation rate’s equate to the graduates being better prepared.

I guess we will find out that answer when they actually go to college and we will see how they perform at college.

Mlive is reporting that here in Michigan our High School graduation rate for 2014-2015 was 79.8%.  That ranks Michigan’s graduation rate at 36th best in the nation.  The state of Iowa had the best graduation rate clocking in at 90.8 with New Mexico having the lowest graduation rate at 68.6%.

The fact that graduation rates have increased is a good thing but we must always look deeper into the numbers and determine if the numbers actually mean what they are being represented as.

We have been told by colleges and universities that the many previous year’s High School graduates, meaning obviously that they have graduated, have not been college ready or for that fact ready for their careers.  If we are to believe this in previous years then why would we think that increasing the number of graduates out of that same educational system would produce young adults who are now more prepared “students for college and careers after graduation”?

Statistics can be an alluring thing, but what do those numbers actually mean and represent.  If our children our receiving a better education and are truly being more prepared for college and their careers, that is great but if they just mean somehow more kids are finding the ability via themselves or just being passed along as we so often hear that means something entirely different.

It all depends on the type of education these young adults are receiving.

Let’s talk about this today on The Live with Renk Show which airs Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to noon. To let me know your thoughts during the show please call (269) 441-9595.

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