Wren Abbott
Santa Fe Public Schools Superintendent Bobbie Gutierrez, left, SFPS Board President Barbara Gudwin and Board Vice President Glenn Wikle listen to discussion on a motion to "audit" student achievement data Gutierrez presented to the board.
Start of school year head counts at Santa Fe Public Schools revealed a big drop in high school enrollment at Santa Fe High between sophomore and junior year.
Last year's class of 423 sophomores became this year's class of 290 juniors at the bigger of the district's two public high schools. SFPS technologies director Sondra Adams told the school board at a Sept. 6 Board of Education meeting that some students choose to drop out of school in their sophomore year after they turn 16. But she also said some students left behind at sophomore status this semester may become juniors officially next semester after they make up missing credits.
BoE member Steve Carrillo remarked that the enrollment drop is a "staggering decrease." Overall, the district is up approximately 91 students from last year after the first 10 days of school.
The sophomore to junior dropout phenomenon is a likely contributor to low graduation rates in SFPS generally. Last year's recorded graduation rate for the district was just 53 percent.
