Thursday, January 31, 2013

The challenges facing our children. . .and us

Consider the statistical dimensions of our challenge in Dallas County:
  • 2.5 million people live in the County
  • 800.000 students aged 0-22
  • 500,000 children in grades K-12
  • 91% attend public schools
  • 70% qualify for free and reduced lunch program
  • 12 of 15 school districts have more than 50% of children in poverty; 70% are economically disadvantaged
  • Only 13% of students graduate college/career ready with only 4% of our African American/Hispanic students who represent 80% of all 1st graders
  • By 4th grade only 1 in 3 students read at a level on track for college
  • Only 1 of 7 early childcare centers have any type of quality rating
  • Every year 5,000 students fail to graduate from high school
  • Fewer than 50% of higher ed students graduate with a degree
  • $5 billion of lifetime income loss to our region of each annual class of high school dropouts
  • 344,314 total students not attaining post secondary readiness by high schcool graduation
--Source:  Commit!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

These poor children are a product of the welfare state.

Anonymous said...

It's to Obama's advantage to keep them poor because they will vote Democrat. After all, he has to keep a base of poverty to replace the aborted potential Democrats. I notice he dismantled his job council today, like he ever met with it anyway.

Anonymous said...

It's amazing that most lower income Americans are worse off than they were 4 years ago and yet they continue to treat the president as the messiah. This country has a history of upward mobility--until this president. It will only get worse with Obamacare.Even the unions are having second thoughts. Next year will be a real mess.

Anonymous said...

If you fail to parent your children at home, you can't expect the school to do it.

Lorlee said...

upward mobility has be hampered by the rise of technology. Between 2000 and 2010 -- 11 million secretaries lost their jobs and those jobs aren't coming back. Any number of jobs that pay middle class wages have been lost due to techonogy -- meter readers, travel agents, etc. The jobs that lead to upward mobility are simply not there anymore.

Anonymous said...

These poor children remain poor despite the welfare state, not because of it. Without it, they would simply be even poorer.

Why is it that when Paul Ryan's parents accept government benefits it is a means to an end, a "hand up" ... but everyone else who accepts government benefits is just part of the 47% of 'takers'? Pure hypocrisy. If the facts don't fit your ideology, just change the facts!