Graduation time again

As every year local high schools get ready for the end of classes and, of course, graduations. Many kids have already spent time on their proms and final tests in order to make it to the great ceremony. And families have already set out the robes and caps, as well as fancy dresses and even nice suits for the event.

Decades ago, it was extremely likely that a teenager, especially from a minority, could have at least one high school graduate in their families. And the idea of making it to college was an unthinkable one due to many reasons. The last educational goal for youths in vulnerable homes was eighth grade.

As of today, even with higher school expenditure, better teachers and more modern facilities, graduation is not granted for all.

Imperial Valley Latino students are the ones left behind in terms of concluding basic education. According to California Department of Education figures, during the 2014-2015 school year 2,509 students graduated from our local high schools. Of them 2,278 are of Hispanic descent. Although one might think Calexico would be the town with the largest amount of Latino students who graduated, it was actually the Central Union High School as No.1, with Brawley Union in third.

The same statistics show that Holtville had the highest graduation rate with 97.1 percent, followed by Brawley and Imperial with 96.0 percent, Central with 87.1 percent, Calipatria with 85.5 percent and Calexico with 78.1 percent. Valleywide, graduation rate was 85.0 percent in average.

And regarding dropout rates, Imperial County schools reached 7.7 percent with 213 students missing graduation. Individually, San Pasqual Unified School district reported the highest dropout rate in our region with 21.6 percent. Next was Calexico with 13.7 percent, Calipatria with 7.9 percent, Central with 4.6 percent, Brawley with 2.9 percent, Holtville with 2.2 percent and on a far seventh place Imperial with just 0.89 percent.

Although these rates are slightly higher for Latino students, the gap persists. In Imperial County schools the graduation rate for Hispanic students was 84.5 percent and dropout rate 7.8 percent. Per district, Calexico observed again the lowest in the Valley with a 77.8 percent graduation rate and 13.9 percent dropout rate. Next was Central Union with 87.0 percent graduation rate and 4.7 dropout rate. In third place came Calipatria Unified with 89.2 percent graduation rate and 4.6 dropout rate, while Brawley got 95.4 graduation rate and 3.3 dropout rate.

Interestingly, Latino students at Holtville and Imperial high schools were more likely to graduate and stay in school compared to the general student population, the numbers show. The first had a 98.4 percent graduation rate and 0.8 dropout rate and the second 95.4 percent graduation rate and 0.5 percent dropout rate.

One might think this difference is based on the fact that us Latinos have not learned English appropriately, which might have impacted the rest of our education. But last year’s Valedictorian graduate at Calipatria High School was Barbara Ledesma, an immigrant from Mexicali who is now attending University of California, San Diego. Her sister will be this year’s valedictorian at the same school and plans to become a University of California Berkeley student. The family has also a member studying in a binational program on the other side of the border after transferring from Pomona.

For the Ledesmas, perseverance, motivation and tons of support were the key to succeed at school although the language and income barriers. And these, ladies and gentlemen, are the most important facts our children need for a prosperous future.