Lexington, KY - There's a saying that part of success is just showing up. That applies to many areas of life, from the workplace to community involvement to relationships. It also applies to a highly valued American tradition: education.
Too many young Kentuckians are not showing up for class and are dropping out before they reach graduation.
In fact, nearly 6,500 Kentucky students dropped out of school in the 2007-'08 academic year.
Kentucky's school attendance law is partly to blame. Established in 1934, the law was put in place at a time when a high school diploma was not required for most mainstream jobs.
Clearly, it's time for an update.
That's why Gov. Steve Beshear is endorsing House Bill 225, known as the Graduation Bill.
Introduced by Rep. Jeff Greer, HB 225 would initially affect children entering the ninth grade during the 2011-'12 school year, raising the compulsory age from 16 to 17 on July 1, 2015, and to 18 the following year.
This phased-in approach would give school systems and families five years to make adjustments while targeting incoming ninth-graders during a key transition time.
It is our duty to do everything possible to provide a quality education to the children of the commonwealth.
And in this day and age, that means assuring that our children have a high school diploma.
If they are to be competitive, if we as a state are to be competitive in securing high-tech, high-paying jobs, then a high school diploma is the absolute minimum requirement.
The least we can do is to let these children know that we value them by giving them every opportunity to succeed.
We all know that the lack of a high school degree has a lasting effect that extends to the entire state.
Typically, dropouts are more likely to battle addiction or have criminal records. They are generally unhealthy and consume a great deal of social services. And on average, dropouts earn about $6,800 less than high school graduates.
This problem can create a poor quality of life for a community with a large number of dropouts.
Finally, companies looking to move to Kentucky want a healthy, well-educated workforce.
These days, most jobs require a minimum of a high school degree and, in many cases, an advanced degree. Jobs here in the United States are increasingly becoming knowledge-based and high-tech. Future generations of Kentuckians must be better prepared to be competitive in a global market that demands a greater skill set. With a highly trained population, we can attract more high-quality, high-paying jobs to our state.
By increasing the dropout age, Kentucky children will enter school understanding that once they start, they are expected to finish. They will go through their school careers knowing that their teachers, as well as their state, want them to do well. And when children go through school knowing what is expected of them, they will be more inclined to take their studies seriously.
HB 225 would be a way, along with greater support and flexibility for school systems, to help keep students engaged and to help better prepare them for careers and adulthood.
Failing to give our children the skills and the encouragement they need to succeed would be a great detriment to the future of our state.
The importance of this bill has been underlined by basketball greats Jamal Mashburn and Magic Johnson. Last year, Johnson endorsed this legislation. Recently, Mashburn joined me and Gov. Beshear at a press conference, where he emphasized the value of staying in school and the inspiration his teachers provided. Based on his struggles in high school, Mashburn said he wants to do everything he can to encourage kids to graduate.
If the bill becomes law, Kentucky will join 19 other states and the District of Columbia that require students to stay in school until the age of 18, including surrounding states (Indiana, Ohio, Virginia and Tennessee).
That would translate to more than 1,600 students remaining in school annually that might not otherwise.
Let me be clear about one thing. No one is expecting this bill to solve all of our educational issues. We have a lot of work to do. Our state needs to invest in the areas of early identification and prevention. We need to expand early childhood education resources and programs. We need to find ways for schools to be more flexible in their methods and adapt to 21st century ways of engaging students.
Increasing the compulsory school age is a simple but significant step in the right direction.
I believe that the legislature recognizes the importance of this bill, and I feel confident that they will pass it.
Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike want their children to succeed and want a bright future for our state. Last year, this legislation passed the Kentucky House of Representatives 94-6 and passed the Senate Education Committee. Without a doubt, there is strong support in the General Assembly for this measure.
It is time to pass HB 225.
Join me in supporting this legislation - for the sake of education, economic development and for Kentucky's future.
Frankly, we can't afford not to raise the dropout age to 18.
Jane Beshear, wife of Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, is Kentucky's First Lady.