High school dropouts are a major problem all across Kentucky. Nearly one out of four students fails to earn a high school diploma within four years of high school entry. Even if we count all students who eventually get either a diploma or a certificate of completion, Kentucky’s public schools still loose one in five students.

Without question, job opportunities today are bleak for dropouts, so there is a chronic need for programs to help kids recover from this very bad mistake. That’s true statewide and in most of our individual school districts, as well.

Now, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports the Urban County Government in Fayette County is getting in the act of reversing the damage of student failure in the public school system there. Fayette County has started a new dropout recovery program called “Path to Success.” This program uses federal funds and local resources to help 16 to 18 year old dropouts get a General Educational Development Certificate (GED) and learn skills that can help land and keep a job or access to higher education. Students can even earn money while they further their education.

Without question, Fayette County needs this sort of effort.

Kentucky Department of Education Averaged Freshman Graduation Rate reports used for No Child Left Behind Reporting and for additional state uses reveal that Fayette County Public Schools had:

• 2,224 Total Graduates and Certificate of Attendance Completers in its High School Class of 2010

• 2,792 Students in the Class of 2010 when they entered high school.

Thus, the system lost 568 students just from this one graduating class.

With only 36 more open slots in the Path to Success, the program obviously has the potential to fill up FAST!

Of course, one has to wonder why we need programs like Path to Success. Why isn’t the public school system getting it right for these kids the first time?

Persons interested in Path to Success can call 859-246-4300 to get more information. Any Lexington area dropout aged 16 to 18 would be smart to do so.