Dropout Rates Addressed at Summit

About 200 community leaders, school officials and politicians gathered in downtown Pittsburgh yesterday to talk about the city’s school drop out rate. The Pittsburgh Public school District says 65% percent of their students graduate high school. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl points out that is better than some large cities but still much higher than it should be. The event was one of 55 dropout prevention meetings held across the country by America's Promise Alliance. At the event several parties signed the “Pittsburgh Pathways Blueprint” that is intended to increase the percentage of students that make it through all 4 years of high school. Ravenstahl says his office will do everything it can to help the effort. He points to several programs sponsored by the city aimed at middle school students and the city’s roll in the Pittsburgh Promise program. The program that provides $5,000 college scholarships to all Pittsburgh Public School graduates with a 2.5 GPA or better was expanded yesterday to include students who choose to take classes at the Community College of Allegheny County. It will also help students that fall below that 2.5 GPA get the basics they need from CCAC.