HS Graduation Hits Record High

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This past year, the nation’s high school graduation rate reached a record 83.2% and saw large increases across all racial and ethnic groups, the AP reports. New federal data also showed gains among disabled students and those from low-income families. In the data collected by the Department of Education, significant differences in graduation rates among racial and ethnic groups were reported. Asian Americans had a 90.2% graduation rate; whites were at 87.6%; Latinos graduated at 77.8%, followed by African-Americans (74.6%) and Native Americans (71.6%).

Washington, D.C. (10% Latino population) made the most progress in the United States. In the 2014-2015, Washington, D.C. students improved their graduation rate by 7%. Speaking at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School, a magnet school in the District of Columbia which achieved 100% graduation of its senior class, President Barack Obama spoke to the school to tout their success.

“More African-American and Latino students are graduating than ever before,” said President Obama as reported by the AP. “We live in a global economy, [and] the best jobs are going to go to the people who are the best educated, whether in India or China, or anywhere in the world.”

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Despite the gains, decreasing scores on national math and reading tests remain troublesome. In 2015, math scores for fourth and eighth graders dropped for the first time in 25 years. Reading scores were also flat for fourth graders and lower for eighth graders. Average scores on the SAT and ACT college entrance exams have also shown declines.

“A higher graduation rate is meaningful progress, but certainly we share the concern that we have more work to do to make sure every student graduates ready for what’s next,” Education Secretary John B. King told the AP.

Groups that are part of GradNation which campaigning as part for a 90% graduation rate by 2020 said the progress was welcome, but more work needed to be done. According to the group, 700,000 16-19 year olds were not in school nor do not have a high school diploma. This group was highly populated with minority students and those from low-income families. English-language learners, homeless students, and those with disabilities were also a large number of that group.

“Too many young people are still being left behind,” said representatives from the GradNation campaign in a statement.