Statement of Gov. John Lynch On Center for Public Policy Studies "Now One in Five" Report

Statement of Gov. John Lynch On Center for Public Policy Studies "Now One in Five" Report

Gov. John Lynch released the following statement today on a new report by the New Center for Public Policy Studies that found that between 1999 and 2005, New Hampshire's cumulative dropout rate decreased from 25 percent to 20 percent.

"While New Hampshire's high school graduation rate is improving, we still must do more. Our state's economy can't afford for 20 percent of our young people to drop out before they graduate from high school. To ensure our state has a bright economic future, we must ensure we have the educated workforce that we need to compete. That must start by increasing our high school graduation rate.

"Increasing our high school graduation rate is also about ensuring that all of New Hampshire's young people have the opportunities they deserve to get good jobs and have brighter futures.

"That is why I intend to keep working to require young people to stay in school until 18 or until they receive their high school diploma, rather than allowing them to drop out at 16, and to increase alternative learning programs for students who do not do well in traditional classroom settings. As a state, we can no longer afford to send the false message to our young people that they can succeed in life without high school diplomas."

http://www.nh.gov/governor/news/090606studies.html