- Playing
- Fixing a "Dropout Factory"
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- WUNC
In 2009, Governor Bev Perdue and the State Department of Public Instruction took over the Halifax School System in Northeastern North Carolina. At the time, only about one third of students in Halifax high schools passed end of grade tests, and only about one-half graduated.
Things have improved. Graduation rates have risen by 16 percent. But there’s still a long way to go. As part of WUNC's American Graduate series, Dave DeWitt visited Halifax Northwest High School to see how the turnaround is going.
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Piece Description
In 2009, Governor Bev Perdue and the State Department of Public Instruction took over the Halifax School System in Northeastern North Carolina. At the time, only about one third of students in Halifax high schools passed end of grade tests, and only about one-half graduated.
Things have improved. Graduation rates have risen by 16 percent. But there’s still a long way to go. As part of WUNC's American Graduate series, Dave DeWitt visited Halifax Northwest High School to see how the turnaround is going.
Broadcast History
WUNC
Transcript
Dave DeWitt: By mid-morning, a line is forming outside Principal Marvin Bradley’s office. There’s a student who came to school late and wants to explain why, and another who was busted for using a cell phone in class.
Bradley is casual with the kids, but stern.
Marvin Bradley: Bradley: ...to write you up, you get suspended, and then what you do? You lose what? Student: Senior trip. Bradley: Senior trip. Is that what you want to lose? That’s what it’s coming to.
Bradley organized the senior trip to Orlando to try to give them something to look forward to at the end of the year. He’s also renamed the campus’s eight buildings after universities, formed student work groups to repaint parts of those buildings, and instituted a dress code.
Bradley says it’s all part of setting a new tone.
Bradley: The biggest thing is establishing relationships. And I think once you establish relationship...
Read the full transcript
Intro and Outro
INTRO:In 2009, Governor Bev Perdue and the State Department of Public Instruction took over the Halifax School System in Northeastern North Carolina. At the time, only about one third of students in Halifax high schools passed end of grade tests, and only about one-half graduated.
Things have improved. Graduation rates have risen by 16 percent. But there’s still a long way to go. As part of WUNC's American Graduate series, Dave DeWitt visited Halifax Northwest High School to see how the turnaround is going.
OUTRO:Related Website
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