In addition to laying out future plans for the school district, Harris took time during her annual state of the district address to identify Columbus City Schools' recent successes. 

Among them, an attendance rate of over 94 percent and a graduation rate that has risen from 55 percent in 2001 to 74 percent this year, 10TV's Kurt Ludlow reported.

Harris said the goal was to raise the graduation rate to 90 percent by 2012.

"We cannot any longer believe that there is any child who is a throwaway child," Harris said.

With that in mind, Harris revealed some new initiatives, including the creation of a new foreign language-themed high school and two single-gender middle schools.

She also wants a program targeting incoming kindergarteners, 40 percent of whom enter school unprepared to learn.

Harris also spoke of the need to consolidate and close schools, fixed troubled middle schools, become more efficient and spend tax money wisely, Ludlow reported.

Lastly, Harris said "non-academic barriers" to learning must be controlled.

"Neighborhood violence, poor parenting and we don't talk about that a lot," Harris said.

Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.

©2009 by 10TV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.