Oregon High School Graduation Rates Show Significant Gains

The percentage of students getting diplomas increased two percentage points last year, the state says.

(Courtesy of Portland Public Schools)
By Nigel Jaquiss

Raising Oregon's persistently low graduation rates has been a top priority for Gov. Kate Brown and state lawmakers.

Data released today by the Oregon Department of Education show strong progress in elevating those rates. Statewide, ODE reported, the rate jumped two percentage points to 78.7 percent. All ethnic groups made progress, although a large gap still separates white students from black, Latinx and Native American students.

The overall rate of 78.7 percent is up strongly from a decade ago, when just 66.2 percent of Oregon students graduated.

"How our state provides for the needs of our children is a marker of who we are as a community. Every student in Oregon deserves an education that sets them up for success and helps them graduate from high school with a plan for their future," said Governor Kate Brown in a statement. "To build on this progress, I am dedicated to re-investing in our schools to bring them back to a level we can be proud of."

Brown and the Democrat-controlled Legislature hope to add $2 billion in new funding to the K-12 budget in the session that began earlier this week.

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