Graduation Rate
Read more about the percent of students who graduate from high school and efforts to increase it
College & Workforce Readiness
Most States Will See a Steady Decline in High School Graduates. Here Are the Data
The decline is based largely on population trends.
College & Workforce Readiness
Q&A
Graduation Rates Might Get Worse Before They Get Better
Schools must make a convincing case for why students should show up, Robert Balfanz says.
College & Workforce Readiness
Interactive
How Do Today’s High Schoolers Fare As They Enter Adulthood? View the Data
As graduation rates begin to stabilize, data show some hopeful signs for young people. But experts warn of a disconnect between high school, college, and careers.
School & District Management
Grad Rates Soared at a School Few Wanted to Attend. How It Happened
Leaders at this Florida high school have "learned to be flexible" to improve graduation rates.
English Learners
The Complex Factors Affecting English-Learner Graduation Rates
A new study disaggregated New York City graduation rates to find how various factors impact English learners' graduation rates.
School & District Management
The State of Rural Schools, in Charts: Funding, Graduation Rates, Performance, and More
Rural schools receive less funding on average from states, but they still deal with the mental health and academic crises facing all schools.
Standards & Accountability
Opinion
What’s Wrong With Online Credit Recovery? This Teacher Will Tell You
The “whatever it takes” approach to increasing graduation rates ends up deflating the value of a diploma.
English Learners
What Graduation Rates for English Learners Look Like
The U.S. Department of Education released new English learner graduation rate data from the 2019-20 school year.
Special Report
Class of 2021: Digging Out From Under COVID
Graduation rates fell in 31 states in 2021. This package explores the Class of 2021's steep climb to academic recovery.
College & Workforce Readiness
From Our Research Center
Plunging Graduation Rates Signal Long Recovery
In the second year of the pandemic, the number of states with falling graduation rates more than doubled.
College & Workforce Readiness
Opinion
High School Graduation Is Down. There Are No Quick Fixes
Online credit-recovery programs are popular, but many shortchange students, write Robert Balfanz and Karen Hawley Miles.
College & Workforce Readiness
Teacher Prep Needs More Focus on Students With Disabilities, Report Says
To their detriment, teacher preparation programs 'do not center students with disabilities in their curriculum,' a new report from the Center for American Progress concludes.
College & Workforce Readiness
What the Research Says
High School Completions on Par for Black, White Students
For the first time in 40 years, the percentage of black 18- to 24-year-olds with a high school credential was nearly the same as that of their white peers, data from the National Center for Education Statistics show, but racial gaps remain for earning an on-time diploma.
College & Workforce Readiness
What the Research Says
Support for Black Boys Boosts Graduation Rates
A new evaluation of an Oakland, Calif., school district program designed to wrap black male students in a culturally rich and supportive environment is paying off.