Contact: Michelle Lerner (DCPS)
(202) 805-2885
[email protected]
(Washington, DC) The percentage of high school students who graduated from DC Public Schools (DCPS) in four years increased by six percentage points, from 58 percent to 64 percent, continuing four years of growth in graduation rates since 2011.
“The progress in graduation rates is another indicator that we are the fastest improving school district in the nation,” said DC Public Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson. “We are focused on preparing our students for future success in college and in their careers. Our graduation rates show that we are making real progress with students across the district.”
Four-Year District Graduation Rates Have Risen Steadily Since 2011
Key School-Level Facts and Figures
- Many high schools increased their four-year graduation rate over the previous year, including Anacostia High School, Ballou High School, Cardozo Education Campus, Coolidge High School, Dunbar High School, H.D. Woodson High School, Luke C. Moore High School, McKinley Technology High School, and Roosevelt STAY High School at MacFarland.
- Three schools (Cardozo Education Campus, Dunbar High School, and H.D. Woodson High School) increased graduation rates by at least 10 percent.
- Benjamin Banneker High School continues to boast a 100 percent graduation rate.
Four-Year Preliminary ACGR Trends 2014-2015: Application Schools
Four-Year Preliminary ACGR Trends 2014-2015: Comprehensive, Adult, and Alternative Schools
Key Sub-Group Facts
- Mirroring the district average, the graduation rate for black students also increased by six percentage points.
- Black males saw a seven-point increase, while Hispanic males saw a two-point increase.
- The graduation rates increased by more than five percentage points among special education students and English Language Learners.
- The graduation rates among Hispanic students also increased by four percentage points, who now graduate above the district average.
Key Dropout Rates Facts
- Across DC Public Schools, the number of students dropping out decreased from a quarter of students in 2011 to 19 percent in 2015, a decrease of six percentage points.
- Dropout rates decreased or stayed the same at all low-income comprehensive high schools. Coolidge High School dropped from 33 percent to 21 percent, a drop of 12 percentage points.
- Dropout rates decreased among black students (by four percentage points) and Hispanic students (by five percentage points).
This new preliminary data reflects the Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) required by the US Department of Education, which measures the percentage of the cohort of students who started ninth grade in School Year 2011-12 and graduated within four years. This calculation first began in the 2010-11 school year. All numbers included are comparable using this measurement.