TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL)--"One size does not fit all in the state of Florida," said Rocky Hanna.
Former Leon High school principal Rocky Hanna says he's hoping for some big changes with Florida schools.
"A lot of our kids do not have the resources at home in order to provide for tutors and those types of things to get them through these really really demanding classes," said Hanna.
Hanna sat in on the house K-12 sub-committee at the Capitol as state leaders heard from a number of educators like himself.
They were talking about the need to raise graduation standards, but cautioned it must be done carefully raising the bar too high they say can mean more students falling behind.
Hanna says finally lawmaker's ears are open.
"Today they listened, I think they're starting to get, they're definitely going to get if something doesn't change and our drop out rate explodes," said Hanna.
Lawmakers like representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed says they definitely know what's going on.
"We're telling them that you've got to take this way and that's it, this my way or the highway kind of situation and this is what i think is causing a lot of our students to not complete high school," said Clarke-Reed, District 92, Florida.
The state graduation rate as of 2011-2012 school year is 74-percent, compared to a 1.9-percent drop out rate the same year. Educators say this isn't a terrible number, but they'd like it to be zero.
"Everyone needs a certain level of English skills and math skills and science skills but there comes a time when you set the bar too high," said Hanna.
