Success Stories > Clinton, MS

CLINTON, MS. – In 2008, the Clinton Public School District (CPSD) dropout rate was greater than 15%. In 2009, the dropout rate fell to 8.7%, a near 50% decrease in only a year. Also in 2009, CPSD’s graduation rate was 17.1% higher than the Mississippi state average, and the second-highest in the state!

For CPSD, increasing graduation meant even more than students staying in school and earning their diplomas; it also impacted juvenile crime. In 2007, the Clinton Police Department made 100 juvenile crime arrests, according to Police Chief Don Byington. In 2008, that number dropped to 64, and fell to 60 the next year. So far this year, there have been just 31 juvenile crime arrests. “I guess we could say there is a direct correlation with the Clinton High School dropout rate being reduced,” says Chief Byington.

CPSD leaders attribute the dropout reduction to an early intervention program implemented five years ago. “We’ve placed a heavy emphasis in recent years on identifying students at-risk of dropping out and providing interventions that keep them on track,” said Tim Martin, CPSD’s Assistant Superintendent, adding, “It’s great to see those efforts pay off.”

As part of their early intervention program, CPSD is using EdOptions Stars Suite® as a credit recovery tool starting in sixth grade. “There is a clear bottleneck in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades and if students can’t keep up with their course work in those grades, they are most likely the ones to dropout in high school,” says Kim Griffin, Director of Federal Programs. Asst. Superintendent Martin adds, “we are making sure we catch them as early as possible with academic troubles and get them back on track.”

Clinton Public School District
Clinton, MS
Enrollment: 1,391

For more info contact:
Kim Griffin
Director of Tests /
Federal Programs
601 924 7533

EdOptions
1 866 243 7460

CPSD has successfully implemented Stars Suite® at their mainstream and alternative schools. Seniors lacking one or two credits needed for graduation are enrolled and required to stay for the last period of the day to recover credits. Seniors on track for graduation are granted early dismissal. Seeing their graduation-ready classmates leave school earlier serves as extra motivation for the credit recovery students. Teachers monitor students who are recovering credits in their respective subject areas.

CPSD alternative schools target students who are at least two years behind in school to work with EdOptions. These students are among those who are most at-risk of dropping out. Once students catch-up with their cohorts, they are able to return to their mainstream school. CPSD is also partnering with EdOptions for their summer school program. Students are charged a fee to enroll in the summer school program, which grants them flexibility to work from home and complete more than one course over the summer session.