From 1996 until 2002 (when NCLB was signed into law), 68 of the 100 largest urban districts had rising graduation rates. Twenty-four of those districts achieved double-digit increases in their graduation rates, while only four had double-digit drops during that period. From 2002 until 2006, however, seventy-three of the 100 largest districts experienced declining graduation rates. Seventeen of those districts experienced at least a double-digit drop in their graduation rates. Only two districts experienced a double-digit increase (Advancement Project, 2010).
I hesitate to move directly from correlation to causation based on this one snippet of data … but as presented, the data are damning. (And I know that is the intent.)
If anyone has additional information, please shout!
