Camden City School District Says Graduation Rates Up, Drop Outs Down
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Several years ago, the state of New Jersey took over the Camden City School District. Today, the district announced some startling milestones.
Paymon Rouhanifard became the first state superintendent of the school district in 2013. Since then, he says the graduation rate has gone from 49-percent to 70 percent. The graduation rate began to go up in 2012, shortly before Rouhanifard was named superintendent.
The drop out rate has decreased from 21 percent or one in five students, to 12 percent today. But he says, the district is still pushing forward.
"There are some other areas where we need to increase our support, so whether that's bilingual education, special education, being parent friendly, insuring that our families have as much support from their schools and their principals and staff as possible."
Rouhanifard is hoping to see graduation rates rise to 85 percent. The district is also offering dual enrollment classes to dozens of students through Camden Community College.
Rouhanifard just signed a new 3-year-contract with the district in July.
