Public High School Graduation Rates

Beginning today, June 4th through Tuesday, June 10th edweek.org is hosting an Open House for an entire week so you can check out its new issue for free. The press release promotes this Report, The Diplomas Count 2008: School to College. This is the third annual report published by edweek. org, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"The report explores the rapid growth of state-level P-16 councils and how they seek to create a more seamless schooling continuum that prepares students from preschool through college and beyond for life, work, and further education."

A Representative’s View of High School Graduation. Chart originally published
by edweek.org

Results for the class of 2005, the most recent year available according to the Report, show a national graduation rate of 70.6 percent, an increase of about half a percentage point over the prior year. The EPE Research Center that made this study, estimates that 1.23 million high school students will fail to graduate in the class of 2008.

We should ask, why too many students drop out earlier than expected. Is it happening a the same peace among racial groups?