The state's highest ranking education official was in the Mountains.

Education Commissioner Terry Holliday visited with district officials in Bell County.

They discussed several topics, including high school dropouts.

A new site for new goals.

Terry Holliday, Kentucky's Education Commissioner, toured the construction site for the new vocational school in Bell County.

While the new school is set to open in a few months, Holliday sat down with educators in the area to talk about ways to improve local school districts.

Bell County school leaders are wanting to improve graduation rates.

"If we can identify these kids that are struggling academically early on and meet their needs and catch them up... then that's probably the biggest preventative we can do," said Bell County Superintendent George Thompson.

Back in 2004, the graduation rate for Bell County high school students was around 60 percent.

Officials setup a graduation rate task force.
Now, the graduation rate is more than 80 percent.

Educators say they want to continue to push students to graduate finding different avenues, like vocational schools.

"I think it's very important to provide school districts with support. We need more alternative programs. We need more career and vocational programs," said Holliday.

Bell County educators also want to change the law.
Currently, a 16 year old student can drop out with their parents approval.

"If they moved up two more years, we feel like that we will be successful with more kids that are thinking about it," said Thompson.

Commissioner Holliday says the trip has given him many ideas to take to the capitol.

"I always love visiting smaller communities like this and always enjoy talking to principals and teachers. It does us good in Frankfort to see what the real world looks like," said Holliday.

Hands on learning to improve education.

The commissioner also visited Pineville and Middlesboro independent schools.