You've got to wonder how long it will take the nation to recognize the role that poverty is playing in inner-city children's education.

According to Associated Press, a new report says that in urban public school systems throughout the country, the graduation rate is only about 50 percent, way lower than the rate for students in suburban and rural schools.

The report was published by America's Promise Alliance, an organization founded by former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Its findings mimic those familiar to people in the Greater Rochester area.

Seems to me you can draw one of only two conclusions. Either teachers in city systems throughout the country are inferior, or something about the demographics of urban students is causing the low graduation rate.

As this newspaper has been saying for well over a quarter of a century, it's clear that poverty is the problem. And in Rochester, as the poverty rate has gotten higher, the grades and the graduation rate have gotten lower.

Now Rochester has a new, highly qualified superintendent, and he has just set high goals for this school system's graduation rate. High goals will be accompanied by high expectations - not only by Superintendent Brizard but also by the public and by community leaders. Brizard can't do a darned thing about the poverty, so it'll be a miracle if the district meets his goal for graduation rates.

And then what? Will we be disillusioned with yet another superintendent?