Dropout rates at RBR reflect new ethnic makeup
More African-American students staying in school, Hispanics leaving
BY LAYLI WHYTE
Staff Writer

LITTLE SILVER — While more African-American students at Red Bank Regional High School are making the choice to stay in school, the dropout rate for students in another ethnic group is on the rise.

According to the New Jersey Department of Education’s recently released annual School Report Cards, statistics for RBR show that the dropout rate of Hispanic and Latino students increased in the 2003-2004 school year from the previous school year.

The 2003-2004 report cards compiled by the state Department of Education, list statistics for each school, comparing them to statewide averages.

The report shows that between 2003 and 2004, the dropout rate of Hispanic students increased by 5.5 percent.

At the same time, the dropout rate of African-American students decreased by 7.4 percent.

The state average dropout rate for the 2003-2004 school year was 1.9 percent, and RBR’s rate was 2.5 percent, down from 3.3 percent the previous school year.

According to an enrollment survey compiled by Steven Terhune, district business administrator, the number of African-American students enrolled in the school has decreased by 1.4 percent between 2001 and 2004, while the Hispanic student population has increased by nearly 2 percent in the same time period.

Of the 10.7 percent of the student population that is Hispanic, he said, most are of Mexican decent.

Dr. Edward Westervelt, superintendent of RBR, said he sees the numbers as reflecting both the accomplishments and failures of the school.

“I try to see any student who has the intention of dropping out,” said Westervelt. “I have an interview with them and their parents, and I try to deter them from leaving. I start by saying that if they are going to drop out, it is as much our failure as a district as it is theirs as a student.”

Westervelt said that by reaching out to African-American students in the school, programs like The Source, a school-based youth services program, have played an important role in keeping many more of these students enrolled.

“We’ve made a pretty concerted effort to reach out to African-American students,” said Westervelt.

He said that the school has made an effort, to not only keep African-American students in high school, but to encourage them to go on to college.

“It’s not that we don’t advocate for Latinos as well, we do,” he said. “But there are unique circumstances for many of those students outside of school.

“More Hispanic families are moving into Red Bank,” said Westervelt, “and I think African-American families are being displaced.”

Westervelt said that many of the Hispanic and Latino students who have come to him wanting to drop out say they “have to work to support their families.”

“There are problems unique to this population,” he said. “Many of these students have responsibilities to their younger siblings and have to work nights, weekends and during the summer.”

Westervelt said he believes holding down jobs during the summer keeps some of the students from being able to participate in summer school, which he thinks many of them may need because of shortcomings with education in their native countries.

“Many of our Latino kids come from agricultural areas of Central America,” he said. “They may not have nine or 10 years of schooling by the time they come to us.”

“One goal this year is to decrease the drop out rate,” he said.

Westervelt said discussions with the board of education about the dropout trend have included alternatives like “twilight high school” or “sunset high school.” These alternate schedules would replace a full school day with three to four hours during the evening for students who have to work to help support their families.

“We would independently work with the kids and get the students enough credits to qualify for graduation,” said Westervelt.

He said the Monmouth-Ocean Education Services Commission, has developed online courses that students can do at their own pace and earn school credit.

Westervelt said with the new caps placed on school budgets by the state, new programs to offset the trend are nearly impossible to start.

“We are not in the position to start alternative programs aimed at dropout students,” he said.