State Reports Rise in High School Graduation Rates for Class of 2023

On Friday morning, new data was unveiled, showcasing the Class of 2023’s graduation and dropout metrics. The reported high school graduation rate across the state reached 81.77% in 2023, marking an upward trend for the second consecutive year—a hopeful indicator of students bouncing back from the educational disruptions caused by the pandemic. The previous year’s figure stood at 81.01%. A slight decrease was observed in the dropout rate, which fell to 8.13% from 8.19% in 2022. The four-year graduation rate accounts for students who embarked on their high school journey in 2019 and concluded it with graduation in 2023. Additionally, the state extends its analysis to five- and six-year graduation rates to accommodate students engaged in early middle college programs, where they secure both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree or another advanced certification. These extended rates also consider students in traditional programs who may require additional time to graduate. The term ‘dropout’ refers to students who exit the school system permanently at any point during their high school years. A state-issued press release highlighted an across-the-board increase in graduation rates across 17 distinct categories, including improvements among Black and Hispanic students, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, homeless...