Studer Community Institute

Graduation rates at all-time high

November 12, 2014
/ Reggie Dogan
/ education

With so much of the talk about education mired in criticism and negativity, it is especially good news to hear that high school graduation rates are on the rise nationally. In 2013, 86 percent of students in the U.S. finished high school in four years, while only 7 percent dropped out — down from 13 percent two decades ago, according to a report this week in The Atlantic, using Census Bureau data. The graduation rate topped 80 percent for the first time in U.S. history — and if states can keep up their rapid pace of improvement, the rate could reach 90 percent by 2020, according to federal data. At a time in which accountability and transparency are buzzwords for almost everything that is done in education, it is easy to see the appeal of graduation rates. The percentage of students in Florida earning a high school diploma stood at 75.6 percent in 2013, up from 74.5 percent in 2012. While graduation rates in Escambia County have incrementally inched up in recent years, 65 percent of students earned a diploma last year after four years in school. For African Americans, 51 percent graduated on time. In Santa Rosa County, the graduation rate was higher than the state average in 2013 at 78.9 percent. Blacks in Santa Rosa graduated at a rate of 74.1 percent, compared to 78.3 percent for white students. The 86 percent national average reflects improvements across all demographics but is mostly a result of significant gains among blacks and especially Latino high school students, The Atlantic reported. There are a number of outside factors fueling the improved graduation rate, says Richard Fry, a senior researcher for the Pew Research Center and its Hispanic Trends Project. The most important factor is a more proactive approach from schools and teachers that has inspired students and brings parents and teachers together to support their success. The progress is attributed to a long-term, far-reaching effort to make a difference for students — from reaching out to parents to developing more engaging curricula and focusing less on test scores, as well as providing more training for teachers. Read more about the report in The Atlantic.

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Graduation rates at all-time high

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