Opinion

Graduated failure

On Monday, New York released the latest figures showing how many of our kids are graduating from high school on time and how many of those are ready for careers or college. It’s not a pretty picture.

For the Empire State’s Class of 2013, the numbers of both are up, but only by a teensy bit.

The statewide graduation rate inched up to 74.9 percent from 74 percent the year before. Meanwhile, the college/job-ready figure rose to 37.2 percent from 35.3 percent over the same period.

Let’s put that in plain English. The graduation rate by itself doesn’t tell you much, because it tells you nothing about how high the bar has been set.

By contrast, the figure for college/job-readiness, which is based on performance on state tests, gives you a much better idea about how much these high school diplomas are worth.

Given that only 37 percent of those who graduate from high school are ready for college or a job, it suggests that nearly two- thirds of the high-school diplomas the state gives out each year aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.

It gets worse when broken down by race and city. For black students, the college/job-ready figure is a horrifying 14.2 percent statewide. Hispanics at 18 percent do not fare much better.

Meanwhile, the numbers for white and Asian students are 50.4 percent and 57.2 percent, respectively.

This dismal performance is one big reason why we believe in setting standards high and opposing all efforts to water them down.

Any way you look at it, a system where barely one out of three graduates leaves high school ready for a career or college is more than a number. It’s an indictment.