Governor to Hold Conference on Increasing the Graduation Rate of African American Males

Press Release

Governor Ted Strickland and former state Sen. C.J. Prentiss, the Governor's Special Representative for Closing the Achievement Gap, will host a conference tomorrow, May 30, in Columbus focused on increasing the graduation rate of African American males.

"The low graduation rate of African American males is a problem with widespread implications for our state," Strickland said. "We need to work to keep these young people in school -- for the benefit of themselves, our communities and the economic strength of the state."

In the 2004-05 school year, only 64.4 percent of black males graduated from high school in Ohio, compared to white males at 88.2 percent. Overall in the 2004-05 school year, 68.4 percent of black students graduated from high school in Ohio, while 89.8 percent of white students graduated.

"We all know that many high schools in urban Ohio graduate only half their students," Prentiss said. "That's not a problem -- that's a crisis."

In addition, black males score consistently lower than both white and Hispanic males on the Ohio Graduation Test, which is required for graduation.

Prentiss has spent the past month meeting with mayors, superintendents, ministers and community leaders across Ohio to increase awareness of the issue and encourage collective efforts to increase the African American male graduation rate.

"Our message is one of shared responsibility and targeted action," Prentiss said. "We need students to become more serious, parents to intervene in their children's lives, and teachers and schools to have the professional knowledge and support to reach all students. We need businesses to do their part with jobs and internships, and the community in many cases to step in when these young men need guidance and direction."

The Governor's Conference on Increasing the High School Graduation Rate for African American Male Students will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Columbus Convention Center. More than 1,500 Ohioans have already pre-registered for the event; on-site registration will be available from 8-9 a.m.

The conference will include breakout sessions, workshops, regional planning sessions and panel speakers. Governor Strickland will address the conference at noon.

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