LAUSD Sees Graduation Rate Rise

Good news for California schools—the high school graduation rate statewide is over 80% for the first time in state history. There is also good news on a local level, where the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second-largest, saw a graduation rate of 67.9% in 2013. This was up 1.4% from 2012.  For Latinos, the improvement was 1.2 percentage points to 67.2% and for African Americans, it was 2.8 percentage points to 63.7%. A total of 56 of the District’s 117 comprehensive high schools had a graduation rate of at least 80% including Arleta with 94.5%, Garfield with 87.3%, North Hollywood with 87% and South Gate with 82.5%.

“Despite a series of budget cuts that have had a devastating impact on the LAUSD,” said Superintendent John Deasy in a statement on the LAUSD website, “we saw once again this past year a rise in the percentage of high school graduates.  “I commend teachers, administrators and parents for their amazing dedication to ensure that more of our students leave the LAUSD prepared for college and career.”

The Los Angeles Times reported that the overall nationwide graduation rate has improved from 73% to 81% since 2006 and could hit as high as 90% by 2020 according to the U.S. Department of Education.

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