By Rupert Howell

According to figures released today, South Panola High School ranks near  the top or 8th in high school completion rate and in the top 10 percent or 14th in graduation rate compared with the state’s 151 school districts.

South Panola has a graduation rate of 83.3 percent and a completion rate of 92.3 percent for 2008.

The 83.3 graduation rate showed a five percent increase over 2007 and compared favorably with the state average of 72 percent.

South Panola High School Principal Gearl Loden believes the school may benefit from the new accountability or rating system currently being proposed with plans to begin next fall with a four year phase-in.

Published reports indicate the rating system would push school districts to get more students to complete school instead of dropping out and that’s where South Panola ranks near the top.

The completion rate includes those who complete some course of study including a high school diploma, occupational diploma, GED or certificate of attendance.

Graduation rate includes those with a high school diploma.

Dropout rate for South Panola is six percent ranking it in the top nine of 151 with fewest dropouts. The state average is 16 percent. Principal Loden warned that percentages do not ad up to 100 due to some of the students still enrolled and taking five years to graduate as opposed to the traditional four.

The completion rate of 92.3 percent indicated an improvement over the previous year and also compared favorably to the state average of 80.1 percent.

The figures are consistent  with improvement shown since 2005 when South Panola’s completion rate was 76.1 percent and graduation rate was 66.2 percent.

The proposed rating system is designed to put more pressure on school districts to increase student achievement each year and to focus on all students, not just the ones needing the most help.

High schools receive more points for students who graduate but also receive points for having students complete high school, such as getting a GED or certificate of attendance through SPED (Special Education).

Members of the State Board of Education last Thursday agreed to give school districts equal credit for students receiving occupational diplomas and certificates of attendance.

The proposed accountability system has a 300-point scale and seven descriptions of school performance – failing, academic watch, at risk of failing, low performing, satisfactory, high performing and star school – instead of levels 1 through 5 under the old system.

South Panola District’s schools typically ranked in the middle of the 1 through 5 rating system with occasional 4s and 5s at Pope and Batesville Intermediate.