BY STEPHEN H. COWLES/CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Playback58@gmail.com

FRANKLIN—Western Tidewater’s three high schools fell short of the Virginia on-time graduation rate of 88 percent and exceeded the state’s dropout rate of 6.5 percent, according to a new release from the Virginia Department of Education.

The statistics released Tuesday are based on students who started as freshmen in fall 2008 and completed their studies in four years.

Franklin High had a 78.8 percent on-time graduation rate and 15.9 percent dropout rate. Southampton High had an 86.9 percent on-time graduation rate and 9.2 percent dropout rate. Windsor High had an 84.3 percent on-time graduation rate and a 9.9 percent dropout rate.

In 2011, Virginia’s on-time graduation rate was 86.6 percent, and the dropout rate was a half-percentage point higher at 7 percent.

Franklin and Southampton had an 84.5 and 86.1 percent graduation rate in 2011, respectively. Windsor’s was 87.9 percent.

Dropout rates were 9.7 percent and 7.8 percent for Franklin and Southampton, respectively, in 2011. Windsor’s was 8.1 percent.

Kenita Bowers, media coordinator for Isle of Wight County Schools, said that Superintendent Katrise Perera reviewed the information with Windsor and Smithfield high school principals.

“Both high schools will be implementing a program that allows for flexibility to meet student needs,” said Bowers. “There will also be a revision and expansion of the guidance program to be more actively involved in tracking attendance and providing resources for students to stay on track for graduation.”

No one returned afternoon calls from either Franklin or Southampton high schools.