Too Many Americans Do Not Finish High School

New Study Adds to Evidence That Too Many Americans Do Not Finish High School
A look at one group’s effort to increase the number of American high school graduates. Transcript of radio broadcast:
02 April 2008

This is the VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT.

A new report says only about half of all students in the main school systems of America's largest cities finish high school. The report notes higher rates of graduation -- more than seventy percent -- in areas surrounding the cities.

The Editorial Projects in Education Research Center prepared the report.

Researchers studied high school graduation rates from the two thousand three, two thousand four school year. They also identified the nation's fifty largest cities. The largest, New York City, had a population of more than eight million. The smallest city was Wichita, Kansas. It had about three hundred sixty thousand people.

Researchers used a system of measurement called the cumulative promotion index to find graduation rates. School officials in many of the cities studied say the resulting numbers were too low. That is because different areas use different methods to find graduation rates. Critics say many methods do not give a true picture of the number of students who leave high school before finishing.

Other studies have put the national graduation rate at about seventy percent. But experts agree that too many students are not completing high school. They estimate the number at more than one million each year.

The report was prepared for America’s Promise Alliance. The private group aims to help children receive services they need to succeed.

General Colin Powell was chairman of America's Promise Alliance when it was formed in nineteen ninety-seven. He attended the press conference Tuesday where the report was released. He said studies have shown that the United States must do more to educate the leaders and work force of the future.

Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings also spoke. She said the government will propose that states use the same methods when reporting graduation rates.

Alliance officials also announced the start of a nationwide campaign to improve graduation rates. It is to include a series of meetings to be held in every state over the next two years. The meetings will bring together elected leaders, business owners, students, parents and education officials. They will develop plans to increase the number of Americans who finish high school.

This VOA Special English EDUCATION REPORT was written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Steve Ember.

----------------------------Google Translate

新的研究增加了证据，有太多的美国人不完成高中学业
看看一组的努力，以增加一些美国的高中毕业生。全文电台广播：
2008年4月2日

这是美国之音特别英语教育报告。

一份新的报告说，只有大约一半的学生在主要学校系统的这个美国最大的城市，完成高中学业。该报告指出，高利率毕业-超过百分之七十-在周边地区城市。

社论工程教育研究中心编写了这份报告。

研究人员调查了高中生的毕业率，从2000三， 2000四个学年。他们还确定了全国50个大城市。最大的，纽约市，有人口800多万。最小的城市，是威奇托，堪萨斯。它大约有36.0万人。

研究人员用了一个系统的测量所谓累积升级指数，以寻找毕业率。学校官员，在许多城市的研究说，由此产生的数字过低。这是因为不同地区采用不同的方法找到的毕业率。批评人士说，有很多方法，不给真正了解有多少学生离开高中前整理。

其他一些研究也提出全国毕业率约百分之七十。但专家一致认为，有太多的学生没有完成高中。他们估计，人数在100多万，每年的。

该报告是为美国的承诺联盟。私人集团的目的是帮助孩子接受服务，他们需要的图谋得逞。

一般鲍威尔曾担任美国的联盟承诺时，它成立于1997年。他出席了记者招待会，周二如果报告被释放。他说，研究表明，美国必须尽更大的努力，教育领导和工作，未来的力量。

教育部长玛格丽特斯佩林斯也发了言。她说，政府将建议各国使用相同的方法汇报时，毕业率。

联盟官员还宣布了一个良好的开始，在全国范围内开展以提高毕业率。它包括了一系列的会议召开，在每一个国家在未来的两年内。会议将召集民选领导人，企业经营者，学生，家长和教育官员。他们将制定计划，以增加多的美国人，他们完成高中学业。

这美国之音特别英语教育报告是由南希steinbach 。我史蒂夫Ember公司。