Thurgood Marshall graduation 2012
Badin vs. Versailles
Law Enforcement Memorial Day
Home > Blogs > Hamilton Schools News and Issues > Archives > 2010 > August > 31 > Entry
Local graduation rates better than state average
Although Ohio’s graduation rate dipped in 2009 for the second year in a row, area schools have been experiencing a rise in numbers.
According to the state report card released Friday, Aug. 27, 83 percent of seniors graduated from high school in 2009, down from 84.6 percent in 2008 and from the decade-high 86.9 percent in 2007.
Hamilton City Schools, however, topped the state average with a 90.7 percent graduation rate for 2009, an increase of 7 percent from 2008.
Indeed, Hamilton’s rates have soared in the last decade. In the school year ending in 2000, the graduation rate was 67.8 percent.
While the New Miami Local School District’s graduation rates have remained steady in the past three years, its 94.4 percent rate is a dramatic increase from its 65.5 percent in 2000.
Ross Local Schools, however, which received an “Excellent with Distinction” designation on the state’s school report cards, did report lower graduation rates for both 2008 and 2009, 88.8 and 88.9 respectively, down from 92.8 in 2007, but according to Superintendent Greg Young, the 2010 numbers are back on track.
“A little bit of the drop has to do with some coding errors for some kids when they withdrew from the district,” he said, noting that in a district the size of Ross, a percentage point is fewer than two students.
“The state report cards lag a year behind, but our 2010 graduation rate is 96 percent, so we feel like even though we’ve had a drop-off, we’re back on track to where we need to be,” he said.
Ross High School Principal Lani Wildow said she’s made it a priority with her teachers to make sure that every student they see as a freshman will be seen on the stage accepting a diploma.
“The staff has really taken to the idea that we’re shooting for 100 percent,” she said.
Deborah Delisle, state superintendent, says it’s unclear why the statewide graduation problem persists.
Eighty-eight percent of school districts and more than 68 percent of school buildings were rated effective or higher for the 2009-10 school year. More buildings but fewer districts were deemed “excellent with distinction,” the state’s highest rank, than the year before.
The report comes on the heels of Ohio being awarded $400 million in federal Race to the Top education funds.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Hamilton City Schools, New Miami Local Schools, Ross Local Schools
Tweet
Comments