What are the high school graduation rates in the U.S.?
At its peak in 1969, the national high school graduation rate was 77%. This was for a standard four-year diploma in public school districts across the country. The report released by Education Week in June, 2010, indicates that the numbers are down from 69.2% in 2006 and 68.8% in 2007. This translates to 11,000 fewer high school graduates in 2007 than one year earlier. The report also notes that racial and ethnic gaps persist. 46% of black students, 44% of Latinos, and 49% of Native Americans did not earn a diploma in four years.
On the other hand, the study identified 21 big-city school districts that posted higher graduation rates. Five districts in California, Texas, Tennessee and Oregon outpaced expectations with students covering a broad spectrum of socioeconomic backgrounds.
Photo by Ryan Stanton
Success comes when schools are held accountable and interventions are promoted that address the problem. A collaborative approach identifies what students need to learn and how to respond if they’re not progressing. The U.S. Department of Education will be holding states accountable for progress in 4-year graduation rates in 2011-2012.
In March, 2012, a report called “Building a Grad Nation” was released indicating an increase of 3% for high school graduation rates between 2002 and 2009. Four education groups worked on the report that found the nation’s rate at 75.5%. Forty states saw an increase in the number of seniors completing their undergraduate education. Wisconsin led the way with 90.7% and Nevada brought up the rear with 56.3%.
“Education is the path from cocky ignorance to miserable uncertainty.” -Mark Twain, American humorist, writer.
