![]() ![]() ![]() But he saw this at Ballou, and it wasn't just one or two students.Īn internal email obtained by WAMU and NPR from April shows two months before graduation, only 57 students were on track to graduate, with dozens of students missing graduation or community service requirements or failing classes needed to graduate. "I've never seen kids in the 12th grade that couldn't read and write," says Butcher about his two decades teaching in low-performing schools from New York City to Florida. Teachers say when many of these students did attend school, they struggled academically, often needing intense remediation. Research shows that missing 10 percent of school, about two days per month, can negatively affect test scores, reduce academic growth and increase the chances a student will drop out. One in five students was absent more than present - missing more than 90 days of school.Īccording to district policy, if a student misses a class 30 times, he should fail that course. Half of the graduates missed more than three months of school last year, unexcused. We reviewed hundreds of pages of Ballou's attendance records, class rosters and emails after a district employee shared the private documents. Records show half the graduates missed more than three months of school, or 60 days.Īn investigation by WAMU and NPR has found that Ballou High School's administration graduated dozens of students despite high rates of unexcused absences. We spoke with 11 current and recent Ballou teachers and four recent Ballou graduates, and we reviewed hundreds of attendance documents, class rosters and emails that show many students graduated despite chronic absenteeism. Six months ago, we reported that for the first time, 100 percent of seniors who graduated from Ballou High School had applied and were accepted to college. This project is a collaboration between NPR's Ed Team and WAMU's Kate McGee, an education reporter covering education in our nation's capital. For months, the school received national media attention, including from NPR, celebrating the achievement.īut all the excitement and accomplishment couldn't shake one question from Butcher's mind: The school is located in one of Washington, D.C.'s poorest neighborhoods and has struggled academically for years with a low graduation rate. It was a triumphant moment for the students: For the first time, every graduate had applied and been accepted to college. It was a clear, warm night and he was surrounded by screaming family and friends snapping photos and cheering. An investigation by WAMU and NPR has found that the school's administration graduated dozens of students despite high rates of unexcused absences.īrian Butcher, a history teacher at Ballou High School, sat in the bleachers of the school's brand-new football field last June watching 164 seniors receive diplomas. Ballou High School, in Washington, D.C.'s Southeast quadrant, is located in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods and has struggled academically for years. ![]()
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