New Report Is 'Cautiously Optimistic' on Trends in High-School Graduation Rates

A new report, published today by Education Week and the Editorial Projects in Education Research Center, reveals an overall increase in high-school graduation rates over the last decade. But with three out of 10 students still failing to receive their diplomas, the report raises concern about the 1.3 million students who disappear annually from the graduation track — that’s 7,200 students every school day.

But the authors of the report says they’re “cautiously optimistic” about their findings.

From 1996 to 2006, the nation’s graduation rate increased by almost three percentage points, from 66.4 percent to 69.2 percent. High-school completion rates improved in 34 states, including double-digit gains in Arizona, South Carolina, and Tennessee. According to the report, which tracks graduation policies for all 50 states and the District of Columbia, 2006 marked the only year with a noticeable annual decline, with more than a 1-percent drop from 2005 to 2006.

In the same year, graduation rates fell nationally for all major racial and ethnic groups. The report found a 26-percentage-point divide between Native American, Hispanic, and African-American students and their white peers.

The report, “Diplomas Count 2009: Broader Horizons: The Challenge of College Readiness for All Students,” also finds a lack of consensus among states, schools, and policy makers on the definition of “college readiness” and how to measure progress toward it. —Ashley C. Killough