Grad rate on the rise for Iberia

Published 6:00 am Wednesday, May 23, 2018

A varied lists of opportunities ranging from the ability to retake a course to recapture credits, accessing tutoring to recover from a bad grade and participating in virtual learning online are all factors for a consistent increase in graduation rates in Iberia Parish, Iberia Parish schools officials agreed.

The state Department of Education released district and state graduation rates last week for the 2016-2017 school year.

dincrease in percentage points. They are up from the previous year’s score of 75.4 to this past year’s 81.3 Their score was the biggest improvement in the three-parish area of Iberia, St. Mary and St. Martin parishes.

The parish graduation percentage in St. Mary was the highest of the three parishes and the second highest in the state with 88.2 percent, they improved by 3.3 percent. St. Martin parish graduation rate score was 83.7-percent, up 2.1 percentage points. All three area parishes scored above the state’s overall graduation percentage rate of 78 percent. 

“Since the state began keeping track of graduation rates dating back to the “2005-2006” school year, we’ve had an increase of 23 plus percentage points,” Iberia Parish Superintendent of Schools Dale Henderson said.

Superintendent-elect Carey Laviolette said there are a number of factors that contributed to the increased score.

“This last class was one of the first classes where we had a grade recovery and credit recovery effort in place,” Laviolette said.

Henderson said the parish’s grade recovery program works whereas if a child does not do well on a test they are able to make a better grade in that subject by retesting. The credit recovery program works the same way in that if a student fails a course he or she can retake the subject for a second chance at earning that class’s credits.  

“Edgenuity and virtual learning are also a part of programs that have contributed to the fact that our graduation rates have increased over the years,” Laviolette said.

Edgenuity offers standards-aligned video-based curriculum for middle and high school blended learning environments, a program that allows educators to customize the curriculum for their students and monitor their own progress while completing lessons, assessments and interactive activities.

The School Board is honoring one student this week who has gained her high school degree entirely online through the parish’s virtual learning program.

With the opportunity to earn additional credits, Laviolette said 50 students graduated Iberia Parish schools this year after their junior year.

“This 81.3-percent can be a little misleading because it doesn’t mean that just 81.3-percent of students entering school since kindergarten ultimately graduate. The number is higher than that,” Henderson said. 

“What this means is that these are students (who are part of a cohort) who started with their class in ninth grade and stayed with their class for four years and graduated,” he said. “We know that for some it may take a little longer than others so this doesn’t reflect the total number of students graduating.”

Laviolette also said Iberia Parish is a parish that supports its GED program and will continue to sustain it even though it’s not a part of the state’s cohort ranking.