The United States has a drop out epidemic. That's according to the America's Promise Alliance. In a recent study they found that nationally 1.2 million students drop out every year. But is that really a clear picture of the problem? Because how the drop out rate is calculated across the nation, differs from district to district. But may soon change. As a result of that study, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has announced plans to require states to provide graduation rates, in a more uniform way under the renewal of the No Child Left Behind Act pending in congress right now. So I decided to do a little homework and see how we figure rates, and what this change could mean for Idaho.

Some people believe we have a drop out epidemic in our nation's public schools. But Superintendent of Bonneville District 93 says that's not the case here in Eastern Idaho. "Yea, I see how it could be, but in our area we're very comfortable with the percentages that are out there, 96-94%. I mean that's fantastic."

Under the current No Child Left Behind Act there is a lot of pressure on schools to meet their goals. One component of those goals is graduation rate data. Schools that miss progress goals face increasing sanctions. And the new proposal to change the way schools figure their drop out rates may put even more pressure on some districts. But district 91 and 93 aren't too concerned.

"I believe with No Child Left Behind, it's around 80-85%. Well, we far exceed that percentage so we don't really worry about it. But I suppose if we drop below that, there could be some withholding of federal funds if it got to that point." -Dr. Charles Shackett, Bonneville Dist. 93

This is how District 93 figures their drop out rate.

"Our principals at the high school take a 4 year period of time and the number of students that start as 9th graders, what percentage of those same students graduated. Now if a student moved away, if we received a request for a transcript from another school, we don't count that student. It's just the students that leave and have no indication that they've arrived at another school then that's a drop out, so we do look at a 4 year period."

District 91 reports differently. Rene Miller explains. "Well the state requires we report over a year period, where the new formula would be taking students over a 4 year period. So, it may be a little more difficult, a little more time consuming to calculate the rate."

So lets do the math... We'll take this year's freshmen say a school has 400 freshmen. In 2012 they only have 300 seniors. 50 of those transferred to other schools. That leaves us with 350. But 5 of those are 5th year Seniors. They don't count because they did not graduate in the allotted 4 years. That leaves us with 345. Divide that by 400 that leaves us with a graduation rate of 86%.

Korina is a teen mother who quit school. But now she's gone back. And under this new law, she would be considered a drop out. A label she's fought hard not to have. "I can't just think that about myself. I came this far and I don't consider myself a drop out. Like because I came back and so I feel like other teens that have had kids or is in my situation somewhat can look at my situation and my story and say well, you know, she did it, so I can do it too."