Drop-out rate high in Virginia

VIRGINIA: State has 9% high school drop-out rate for 2008

State educators say that most of the drop-outs showed warning signs of missing classes or repeating grades before dropping out of high school for good. In Northern Virginia, Alexandria had the highest dropout rate, with 11.1 percent. Hispanic students were more likely than others to drop out, as nearly 20% failed to graduate.

Virginia is among a few states that have begun counting dropouts by assigning all students an identifying number and tracking their progress from the start of freshman year to graduation day. In Mississippi, the drop-out rate for the same time period was 16%.

With the new data and tracking system, educators hope to target at-risk students and close the gap between graduates and drop-outs.

Also in the South:

ALABAMA: House unable to remove 4-cent grocery sales tax again

ARKANSAS: GOP meets to form statewide chapter of Republican National Hispanic Assembly

FLORIDA: House looks at raising lots of fees

GEORGIA: House votes to give more power to governor over DOT

KENTUCKY: Blame game rampant in failure of NASCAR tax bills in Senate

LOUISIANA: Louisiana guardsmen return from Iraq

MISSISSIPPI: Debate continues in House and Senate over hospital tax

NORTH CAROLINA: Joblessness reaches 8.3% in region

SOUTH CAROLINA: Rally held to urge Gov. Sanford to take stimulus funds

TENNESSEE: Renewable energy purchases considered by TVA

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