High Drop Out Rates Among Phila. Black, Hispanic Males

More than half of Philadelphia's black and Latino boys drop out of high school. A report released on Thursday looks at ways to tackle this chronic problem.

KYW's Mike DeNardo reports that 55-percent of Philadelphia's African-American males and 57-percent of Latino males who were freshmen in 2006 dropped-out before high school graduation.

The overall district dropout rate is 44 percent. 

School Reform Commission member Johnny Irizarry (above) says the task force report being issued today recommends strategies to keep Blacks and Latinos in school -- including more culture and heritage in the curriculum, and involving students in crafting discipline solutions..

"We want school culture to engage safety.  But we also want our response to infractions, or to discipline, to be restorative in many ways."

The task force recommends an oversight committee to shepherd the recommendations into action.

(photo by KYW's Mike DeNardo)