Local Schools Gain in On-Time Grad Rates

By Kimberly Lenz Wednesday, October 12, 2011

The dropout rate for public high schools in Williamsburg-James City County and York County decreased for the group of students who were scheduled to graduate in 2011, according to numbers released Tuesday by the Virginia Department of Education. More good news accompanied that report, with higher on-time graduation rates also reported in both divisions.

In Williamsburg-James City schools, the drop-out rate fell to 3.3 percent, with just 29 of 883 students in the 2007-11 cohort dropping out. Last year the drop-out rate was 8.2 percent.

In York, the drop-out rate was 3.8 percent, down from 4.5 percent a year ago.

Statewide, the dropout rate was 7.2 percent, one point lower than last year. Virginia’s on-time high school graduation rate rose one point this year to 86.6 percent. On-time graduation has increased by 4.5 points statewide since 2008, the first year VDOE reported graduation rates.

The state tracks cohorts – groups of students – through their four years of high school. The numbers the state collects reflect transfers and dropouts within each four-year timeframe, which allows the state and divisions to get a better picture of who is dropping out and who graduates. The dropout rates, first released in 2008, now count towards schools’ accreditation.

Students graduating from high school on time – that is, in four years – rose by a point statewide to 86.8 percent. In Williamsburg-James City, on-time graduates rose to 87.2 percent of the cohort, up from 83.2 percent last year. For York County, 93.8 percent of the 2011 cohort graduated on-time. That is up from 93.1 percent last year.

The state breaks down the on-time and dropout numbers by race, gender, socioeconomic, non-native English speakers and learning disabled groups.

 

Across the board, black students, students with disabilities and those identified as economically disadvantaged were at the greatest risk locally for dropping out of high school. By the numbers, however, students who are white, male and economically disadvantaged represent most dropouts in the Historic Triangle.

At York High, 22.7 percent of black students – 17 students – dropped out. That was the highest percentage for dropouts in any subgroup, at any public high school in the Triangle.

Overall in York, the on-time graduation rate for black students went down to 84.3 percent in 2011, compared to 89.6 percent the year before.

In Williamsburg-James City, the on-time graduation rate for black students is 75.1 percent for 2011, compared to 79.2 percent for the 2010 cohort.

Learn more about the 2011 cohorts by clicking here.