High School Graduation

Silly me. With my deep skepticism of the Albuquerque Public Schools, I figured other New Mexico school districts kept their high school seniors in school until the end of the school year and it was only APS that let them go early. For me the end of the school year means the last day of class as stated by the official district calendar. For APS that is May 21. Albuquerque seniors start graduating May 10 and are done by the 15th.

I was wrong about other districts. Brief Internet searching shows APS to only be the worst offender. In Hobbs, the last day is May 22 and graduation is May 17. In Farmington it is May 28 and 22. In Las Cruces, the last day is May 22 with the first graduation May 15.

My problems have to do with money and knowledge. The knowledge is part obvious. If the seniors stayed in school a bit longer, maybe they would learn a little more, assuming they were forced, which is a separate issue. The money issue is a guess. Our public schools get money on the basis of the number of students and a specified number of school days. I have never heard the number of days stated with the addition that the figure is up to eight days less for seniors, depending on district scheduling whims. It would seem, therefore, that sending students away early would save some money.  I wonder also what the teachers of the departed seniors do, hang out in empty classrooms? It would further seem, therefore, that this money should be returned to the state. 

Ah, right....