Graduation data

The State released newly calculated graduation and dropout rates earlier this week. This marks the first time that the state has used the 4-year cohort method, a method that will be used by all states and thus lend some consistency to data reporting. It is also the first time that the State has been able to track students moving in and out of districts, as well as those obtaining GEDs, as a result of the new Single Student Record Database.

The Detroit News headline was: Michigan Graduation rates: 25 Percent Don't finish in four years

The Detroit Free Press stated: New formula yields good news on Detroit graduate rate (new calculations show that to be 58% - a number below previous state estimates but well above numbers coming out of recent national studies).

One of UWSEM's prime agenda items is that of keeping kids in school and seeing that they graduate. To support this effort, the UWSEM Research Department will be doing a thorough analysis of the data for schools in our region.

One of the other important components of the new data is the ability to look at graduation rates by race, ethnicity and gender. Studies have long shown racial/ethnic achievement gaps and many United Ways across the country have made a goal of reducing those gaps - Dane County being the preeminent example.

I took a look at statewide statistics on graduation rates by race/ethnicity and gender and the gaps are both startling and disturbing (see attached Powerpoint chart: Graduation%20Gaps.ppt). Among the findings:

• Males graduate at lower rates than females for all race/ethic groups
• African American males have the lowest graduation rate of any subgroup - 48.4 percent - and show the biggest difference with their female comparison group
• African American females have a higher rate (64.8%), but are second lowest among females (the Hispanic female rate is 63.5%)
• Hispanic males have the second lowest graduation rate at 52.3 percent
• Asian and Pacific Islanders have the highest graduation rates for both males and females, just ahead of whites
• Native Americans and students identifying themselves as Multi-Racial fall between the extremes

The high school graduation initiative is critical for our region. As Lou Glazer of Michigan Future Inc, says of our state and our region - "We must get younger and more educated or get poorer." Helping to increase graduation rates and decrease the gaps is an agenda that we must all get behind.

Kurt Metzger
Research Director, United Way for Southeastern Michigan
kurt.metzger@LiveUnitedSEM.org

Tiffany Beaudry, Alternative Spring Break 2008 Detroit alum

Tiffany Beaudry, Alternative Spring Break 2008 Detroit alum, is featured in this month's issue of United Way Students in Action. The national e-newsletter provides highlights, updates, volunteer opportunities, information on campus engagement programs like Student United Way and Alternative Spring Break, and job postings across the country for young adults.

I enjoy impacting people’s lives in positive ways through giving my time. ASB (Alternative Spring Break) has given me the opportunity to be a team leader which helps me show others the importance in giving back and life-long volunteering. It is really neat to see the ASB volunteers bring this back to their own community and improve the areas they live in. I impact my community through mentoring a little girl in efforts to help her reach her potential. Read more.

To sign up for the e-newsletter, email geny@unitedway.org.

Region leads in falling home values

Over the past several years, homeowners in Southeast Michigan have been feeling the effects of decreasing home values. The glut of unsold homes -- many put on the market as the result of job loss and a subsequent move out of this region – coupled with the foreclosure crisis, have served to drive down the value of our homes. Homeowners who must sell are finding that they cannot get out of the house what they still owe, unless they have been in the house for a number of years or made a large down payment at the outset. Property tax bills, while showing a decreasing assessed value, are often still going up thanks to the Headlee Amendment. This is seen as “adding insult to injury” and homeowners, as well as legislators, are fighting to make sure taxes cannot increase unless assessments increase as well.

Click here to read more.

Find out where your dollars go

Ever wondered about the impact your United Way contribution is making in the community? Find out at our second town hall meeting on August 27 from 8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. The meeting is geared toward leadership givers and will focus on our work in Financial Stability. You'll have the opportunity to learn more about two of our newest initiatives, The Center for Working Families and the Alliance for Economic Inclusion and how they are helping families learn to save and build assets so that they can move toward financial independence. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today.

To RSVP, e-mail Tiffany.Chaney@LiveUnitedSEM.org.

Millions in unclaimed tax credits await metro Detroiters

More than 67,000 people in Wayne, Oakland and Macomb Counties still haven’t claimed their Economic Stimulus Payment (ESP). This amounts to more than $20 million that residents in our region are entitled to. United Way and the Regional Asset Building Coalition (RABC) are working hard to ensure people claim their refunds and bring important assets to our region.

Read more.