High School Dropout Rate Below O.C., State Average
The Tustin Unified School District’s high school student dropout rate leveled off during the 1998-99 school year and remains below the Orange County and state average for the fourth year in a row, according to the California Department of Education.
Forty-seven students dropped out of school from an enrollment of 4,226 students in grades nine through 12 at Foothill, Hillview and Tustin high schools and the Sycamore High/Alternative Education Program.
The district’s dropout rate was 1.1%, compared to the county dropout rate of 2% and state average dropout rate of 2.8%. Tustin Unified’s dropout rate for the 1997-98 school year was 1%.
Janis Jones, assistant superintendent of instruction, credited the low percentage to the district’s alternative education programs. The alternative options include Hillview Continuation School, Tustin Adult School and Sycamore High School, which offers an independent study program.
Jones said the district provides an environment that allows at-risk students to become successful and keeps them from dropping out.
“We work very hard to keep our students in school and provide them alternative programs,” Jones said. “We have many intervention programs to help students who are at-risk.”
Marissa Espino can be reached at (714) 966-5879.
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