DES MOINES – Iowa’s four-year graduation rate has climbed statewide for the fourth year in a row while dropout rates continue to fall, according to figures released today by the Iowa Department of Education.
The data show 90.5 percent of students in Iowa’s Class of 2014 graduated within four years.
“Iowans should be proud that our students are graduating high school at some of the highest rates in the country,” Iowa Department of Education Director Brad Buck said. “While this is great news, we also must continue to look beyond the high school diploma and ensure all students are prepared for college and career training. This is essential for success in an economy where Iowa workers compete with others from across the world.”
The statewide graduation rate has increased 2.2 percent over a four-year period, from 88.3 percent for the Class of 2011 to 90.5 percent for the Class of 2014. (See chart below.)
Graduation rates increased for all but two subgroups of students in the Class of 2014, with significant increases among students whose first language is not English (7.4 percent), students with disabilities (3.6 percent), students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (3.6 percent), and Hispanic students (2.2 percent).
Iowa’s annual dropout rate decreased in the 2013-14 school year from the year before. The 2013-14 dropout rate was 2.7 percent, a decrease of 0.1 percent from the previous year. The rate reflects the percentage of students in grades 9-12 who drop out of school during a single year. The state’s 2013-14 dropout rate represents 3,932 students.
