Florida's graduation rate rose second-most over a decade, report finds
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Florida experienced one of the nation's largest increases in high school graduation rates in the U.S. between 2011 and 2022.
- That's according to a report from the GRAD Partnership, a group of nine education organizations.
Why it matters: The impact of COVID-19 on education is still playing out, but the long-term picture is a big success.
How it works: The report is based on Department of Education data and examines the adjusted cohort graduation rate.
- Essentially, that's the percentage of high school freshmen who graduate within four years.
Zoom in: Florida's graduation rate spiked 16.7% from the 2010-11 school year to the 2021-22 school year — the second-highest change observed.
- The rate sat at 70.6% in 2010-11 and 87.3% in 2021-22.
- The 2021-22 figure dropped from 90.1% when the state resumed its testing requirements, which were suspended during the pandemic.
Yes, but: Even with that surge, Florida's graduation rate lagged behind other states, like West Virginia and Wisconsin.
The latest: The statewide rate rose to 88% in 2022-23 — a 0.7 percentage point increase from the year prior and above pre-pandemic levels, according to the Florida Department of Education.
- Hillsborough County had a graduation rate of 86.2% for the 2022-23 school year. That's almost a two percentage point decline from 2021-22 but aligns with its pre-pandemic levels.
- Hillsborough Superintendent Van Ayres remarked that the figure reflects a graduation cohort that faced "unique challenges" as these students entered high school at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Pinellas County likewise saw a dip in its graduation rate, at 87.7% — a 0.4 percentage point drop that puts it below its pre-pandemic levels.
Caveat: Graduation rates are only one measure of educational success, and may not account for differing standards or policies between states.
What's next: It's still too early to tell whether remote learning and social distancing will hurt the long-term success of students who spent their pandemic years in elementary school, the report warns.