The Edmonds School District’s on-time graduation rate dipped slightly this past school year from the previous school year, the School Board was told Tuesday evening.

The District’s on-time graduation rate was 81.9 percent in 2014-2015, a small decrease from 82.5 percent in 2013-14. Of the students who did not graduate on time in 2015, 72 percent qualified for free and reduced price lunches; 38.6 percent of the students in the district in 2015 qualified for free and reduced price lunches. The trend is that Hispanic students have been over-represented in the drop out rate, while white and Asian students are underrepresented, said Assistant Superintendent of Secondary Schools Patrick Murphy.

“We talk a lot about interventions,” Murphy said, regarding staff and teachers’ attempts to keep individual students in school.

Algebra is often “a big massive speed bump for the kids,” he said, with some, “taking it three years in a row.”

Often the feedback from students to teachers, “is quit talking at me,” and “get to know me,” Murphy said.

“Students are not feeling successful and not feeling connected,” he said, adding that, while some teachers are doing a good job, the challenge is, “what can we do to get connected.”

Some good news, however, was the graduation rate at Lynnwood High School, which increased 3.2 percent from the previous year.

The statistics include students that have only one class missing to graduate, and others who only attended school in the district for a short time, Murphy said. The rate increases over time since some students may take up to seven years to graduate for a variety of reasons. Some special education students remain in the system until they are 21.

The Board also heard a report from the Foundation for Edmonds Schools, which fund raises to supplement district programs to the tune of $317,200 last year.

One of the Foundation’s most important programs is the Nourishing Network, a meals program to feed students experiencing homelessness and who are in an emerging crisis.

Deb Anderson of Foundation for Edmonds Schools related a story she heard about a Scriber Lake student who struggling and eventually told a teacher on a Tuesday morning with some prodding that he hadn’t eaten since Friday. Getting students into the meals program is important since some families can’t always get to the food bank when it’s open.

“Sometimes our families can’t get there can’t access them,” Anderson said. ”If they are in the district we serve them. It really has filled a gap that is needed in our community.”

Also:

-The Board unanimously passed a resolution to accept the public works contract for the sound system replacement at Edmonds District Stadium. The work was completed in July by Ewing Electric, Inc. for a cost of $189,769.

-The Board unanimously passed a resolution to authorize the newly elected Board members to attend the Washington State School Director’s Association Conference, Nov. 19-22 in Bellevue.

-Carin Chase, who is leading Bill Willcock in the race for the open Director District 3 position, attended Tuesday night’s meeting.

— By Tony Dondero