Mississippi graduation rates rise to an all-time high – SuperTalk Mississippi

Mississippi’s commencement price has hit an all-time excessive in state historical past for the 2021-22 faculty yr, with the Mississippi Division of Schooling (MDE) releasing the statewide price of 88.9 p.c.

Charges are primarily based on college students who entered ninth grade for the primary time throughout the 2018-19 faculty yr. Amongst college students with disabilities, the commencement price elevated to 67.1 p.c, and the dropout price was 19.3 p.c.

Somewhat beneath a decade in the past, the statewide commencement price was sitting at 74.5 p.c, with the dropout price totaling 13.9 p.c.

Now, the present dropout price is at 9 p.c, an virtually 5 p.c lower from 2014.

The present dropout price figures replicate some extent 5 p.c enhance from 2020-21 and some extent 9 p.c enhance amongst college students with disabilities. The commencement price doesn’t embrace college students who earn a GED or a certificates of completion or who’re nonetheless enrolled of their fifth yr of highschool.

In accordance with the MDE, there have been fewer college students in these classes in 2021-22 than the earlier yr, which attributed to the elevated dropout price.

“Kudos to the academics for stepping up and going again into the classroom, and kudos to the mother and father for enjoying an lively function of their youngsters’ training,” Governor Tate Reeves mentioned. “The all-time excessive commencement price serves as one other reminder that when somebody says, ‘Mississippi is fiftieth in training,’ they simply don’t know what they’re speaking about.”

Mississippi’s commencement price exceeds the most recent U.S. price of 86.5% from 2019-20 reported by the Nationwide Heart for Schooling Statistics (NCES).

“I’m pleased with Mississippi’s college students and educators for reaching one other historic commencement price milestone,” Dr. Robert Taylor, state superintendent of training mentioned. “The MDE will proceed to offer important companies and assist for all college students to remain in class and graduate to attain tutorial and profession success.”

MDE attributes the general enchancment of the commencement and dropout charges to the next packages:

Endorsements

Highschool college students can earn an endorsement with their highschool diploma. Beginning in ninth grade, college students select whether or not they wish to work towards a conventional diploma, or take extra courses to earn an instructional, distinguished tutorial or profession and technical training endorsement. College students can earn a couple of endorsement.

Every diploma possibility prepares college students to achieve success after commencement, whether or not within the workforce, a profession and technical coaching program, the army or faculty.

College students who earn an instructional or distinguished tutorial diploma endorsement from a public highschool routinely qualify for admission into any of the state’s public universities. The endorsement alternative was phased in throughout the 2018-19 faculty yr and was totally applied on the finish of 2021-22.

Mississippi Early Warning System

The MDE developed this program in 2016 that gives steering to high school districts and colleges to establish, assist and monitor at-risk college students in grades Ok-12. Intervention is offered for college kids who want help to achieve commencement and be prepared for faculty and profession.

Pandemic disruptions have additionally had an affect on the commencement price. As a result of COVID-19, the passing necessities for highschool Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. Historical past assessments had been waived in 2020-21. It will have an effect on the commencement price till all college students who examined beneath the waivers graduate.

Click on right here to view the MDE’s 2022 Commencement Charge Report.

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