Oregon’s Graduation Rate Second Highest In State’s History

SALEM, Ore. – At 81.3 percent, Oregon’s on-time graduation rate is the second highest in the state’s history.

The Oregon Department of Education says that number is slightly higher than last year, but about 9 points higher than 2013-2014.

“When we combine the tremendous resilience of Oregon’s youth, the courageous, tireless, work of our educators, and the individualized, student centered resources made available through the Student Success Act and other key initiatives, we’re able to make meaningful progress for Oregon’s students,” ODE Director Colt Gill said. “There is more work to do, and we are ready to keep working to make sure all students have what they need to succeed.”

And the ODE says despite more work needed to be done for under-served students, improvement is seen across the board.

“Each graduate represents an individual and family success story, a point of pride for their community, and a stronger future for Oregon,” Governor Tina Kotek said. “It will take focused leadership and increased accountability to continue our recovery and ensure that all of Oregon’s children are better served by our investments in K-12 schools. All of our education investments must be paired with specific strategies to ensure we know how the dollars that are spent are connected to the education priorities that Oregonians care about. Every child is full of promise, and I am committed to creating the conditions for them to thrive.”

ODE’s other key findings from the data:

• Students completing two credits in an approved Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program of Study significantly exceeded the statewide average, graduating at a rate of 93.0 percent.
• Students who have successfully completed English Learner programs prior to entering high school in Oregon graduated at 86.4 percent, 5.1 percentage points higher than the statewide average and an all-time high for that student group.
• Black/African American students’ graduation rate of 73.7 percent is 0.2 points higher than the previous year and the second-highest rate ever for that student group.
• Hispanic/Latino students’ graduation rate of 78.7 percent was up 1.7 percentage points from the previous year and the second-highest rate ever for that student group.
• American Indian/Alaska Native students had a 1.9 percentage point increase to 68.9 percent, the highest ever for that student group.
• The Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander student group rebounded from a 6.8 percentage point drop for the Class of 2021 to a 4.8 percentage point increase for the Class of 2022. (Because this is one of the smallest student groups it can have large annual percentage
  swings.)
• The graduation rate for students experiencing houselessness increased 3.2 percentage points to the second-highest level for the group.