Moore County Schools held steady when it comes to students dropping out of high schools.

The state Department of Public Instruction released figures concerning 2007-08 dropout rates today, and Moore County schools posted a 4.29 percent rate, the same as last year.

In the 2006-07 figures, local schools saw 173 students drop out. In the latest figures, 172 students dropped out of Moore County Schools.

State law requires that children between the ages of 7 to 16 attend school. The figures are based on grades 9-12.

Moore County's rate was below the state average of 4.97 percent.