The first step to solving any problem is understanding that a problem exists and defining its scope. With the state's new system for tracking high school dropout rates, one that tracks individual-level student data, California and, by extension, the Gilroy Unified School District have finally taken that first, important step.

Preliminary numbers might not be perfect, but they show that GUSD has an alarming dropout rate of more than 26 percent. It's a stunning, disturbing number that, unfortunately, isn't out of line with many California school districts.

2. There's no reason to temper what hopefully is a sense of urgency

The reality is that more than a quarter of Gilroy students don't finish high school.

GUSD officials caution that these are preliminary numbers, labeled as such because they're based on one year of data and extrapolated across four years, and because some students who transferred to other schools might have been inaccurately counted as dropouts.

We hate to temper the urgency with which officials need to address these numbers with words like "preliminary." This is a serious problem and needs urgent action. These numbers have gotten the state's attention and it's likely - depending on the impact of the state's chronic budget crunch - that more state money for programs to address the dropout rate will become available. But, like most things, change needs to come from the ground up.

It's important on the community level to work together to learn the reasons that Gilroy kids are dropping out and address them. We already know that some kids drop out of school because they cannot pass the California High School Exit Exam. Let's redouble our efforts to help students now in high school pass the CAHSEE.

3. Vocational training should be a part of how we prepare our students

But let's look not just focus on high school. Let's find ways to improve the study skills and education that our kids learn in earlier grades so that the CAHSEE isn't a problem after they leave elementary and middle school. Programs like KIPP, the Knowledge is Power Program, are showing promising results. If KIPP is a godsend, why not here?

Then, there's the relevancy factor. Many kids drop out because they don't see high school courses as relevant if they're not going to college. Let's be realistic: College is not for everyone. But everyone needs a high school diploma. Let's use ROP, vocational training and career technical education to keep everyone - college-bound or not - engaged in high school.

The state's dropout numbers show that we're failing a shocking number of Gilroy students. It's unacceptable. The time to act is now.