TASMANIA must not shy away from tackling poor high school retention rates head on, according to the state's Principals Association.
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Principals will hold branch meetings this week to talk tactics in addressing the state's worsening retention figures.
Tasmania is the only jurisdiction in the country to slump backwards in keeping students enrolled from year 7 through to year 12.
The state is the second poorest of all jurisdictions by every retention measure, and languishes well below national averages, according to a productivity report released late last week.
Tasmania's overall retention rates are the worst in the country, at 67 per cent, well below the national target of 90 per cent.
TPA president Malcolm Elliott was reluctant to echo Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff's appraisal of the figures, who this weekend described them as shocking.
But Mr Elliott agreed the numbers were a wake-up call.
Mr Rockliff used the figures to stress the importance of the state government's plan to extend more rural and regional high schools to year 12.
The government has pledged $45 million over four years to progressively introduce years 11 and 12 into all high schools by 2024.
Mr Elliott said he would be watching the first phase of the initiative intently.
"I'm interested in seeing a broad and penetrating evaluation of progress at these six Tasmanian schools," he said.
"It's important we have access to up-to-date information and data about student participation and engagement at these sites so we can build up some valuable longitudinal studies."
Mr Elliott insisted attitudes towards education also needed to change if retention rates were to improve.
"The whole community needs to understand our life choices are vastly improved by continuing in education and training as long as we can," he said.