Deeper Look At ‘Go On’ Rates
Kevin Richert/IdahoED NewS: On Thursday, I wrote about the current numbers measuring Idaho’s high school “go-on” rates — and the troubling big-picture trend. Thursday’s sobering takeaway: More than a year after graduating high school, only 52 percent of the Class of 2013 have enrolled in two- or four-year college. The 2012 number was 54 percent. Today, let’s take a closer look at the trends and the outliers. Numbers are flat or declining in Idaho’s 10 largest districts. The breakdown:
| District | 2012 rate | 2013 rate |
| West Ada | 70 | 61 |
| Boise | 64 | 61 |
| Nampa | 50 | 50 |
| Pocatello-Chubbuck | 52 | 49 |
| Coeur d’Alene | 61 | 56 |
| Bonneville | 55 | 44 |
| Idaho Falls | 56 | 50 |
| Twin Falls | 57 | 53 |
| Vallivue | 51 | 45 |
| Madison | 57 | 38 |
Top 5 (25 or more graduates)
- Meridian Medical Arts Charter School (39 graduates, 92 percent).
- Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy (53 graduates, 83 percent).
- Meridian Technical Charter (38 graduates, 79 percent).
- Bruneau-Grand View Joint District (25 graduates, 76 percent).
- Cottonwood Joint District (44 graduates, 75 percent).
DFO: I wonder how much of the problem stems from the attitude of Idaho families toward higher education. My kids knew from the moment they were able to comprehend that they were going on to college. We didn't pound it into them. It was simply understood. Yet, I know brilliant children in other families who settled for far less because higher education wasn't part of their culture. Thoughts?
