By Paige Clark
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Graduation rates remained relatively unchanged from 2012 to 2013 but the state’s top educator said she still sees signs of progress.
The Indiana Department of Education released 2013 graduation rate data Wednesday that showed a graduation rate statewide of 88.7 percent.
However, the data also showed that the state’s non-waiver graduation rate of 81.72 percent had inched up from 80.46 percent in 2012. That rate measures the number of students who passed without educators waiving a key requirement.
Non-waiver data is necessary for federal reporting. Also, education officials say it helps give a more accurate reading of the number of students passing their end of course assessments.
“There is some encouraging information in this release,†said Indiana Superintendent Glenda Ritz. “While the overall graduation rate is largely the same as it was in 2012, when you dig into the data it becomes clear that more of our students are graduating without a waiver and passing their end of course assessments.
“This is a crucial step in ensuring that our students graduate from high school both college and career ready,†she said.
Six schools achieved a 100 percent graduation rate: Ben Davis University High School, Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet High School, Signature School Inc., North Daviess Junior-Senior High School, 21st Century Charter School of Gary and Medora Junior & Senior High School.
Nearly 200 schools had higher graduation rates in 2013 than the previous year. Ben Davis University High School and Signature School had 100 percent graduation rates for the third and fourth straight years respectively.
About 170 high schools had lower graduation rates in 2013.
Paige Clark is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
