Dropout Rates Increase At Local Schools

The 2012 graduation rate in the Mt. Diablo Unified School District was higher than the state average but so was the district's percentage of high school dropouts.

Figures released today by the state superintendent's office show that overall the district's graduation rate last year was 81.1 percent, above the state average of 78.5 percent.

The dropout rate for the district, however, was listed as 14.5 percent. That was up from 11.7 percent in 2011 and also above this year's 13.2 percent statewide average.

The district figures include continuation schools and other campuses that are not listed individually in the superintendent's report.

There are also a small percentage of students who are not counted as either graduates or dropouts because they are still in school or passed the GED or are special education students.

The district's five main high schools all had graduation rates above the state average.

Mt. Diablo High and Ygnacio Valley High were the lowest at slightly above 81 percent.

Northgate High was the highest at 96.2 percent. College Park High was also above 90 percent while Concord High was slightly below that level.

Clayton Valley Charter High was part of the Mt. Diablo district in 2011, but it is now under the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

In 2011, their graduation rate was 94.4 percent and in 2012 it was 83.5 percent. The dropout rate also went from 4.4 percent in 2011 to 10.1 percent last year. The numbers for the two years, however, on based on different criteria and aren't comparable.

The graduation rate at the district five main high schools were relatively the same from year to year.

However, the dropout rate increased at College Park, Concord, Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley.

The rate at both Mt. Diablo and Ygnacio Valley was above the state average.

Overall, California's graduation rates rose while dropout rates declined.

The state superintendent's office reported 78.5 percent of students who started high school in 2008-2009 graduated last year. That was up 1.4 percentage points from the year before.

Among African-American students, 65.7 percent graduated with their class in 2012, up 2.9 points from the year before.

Among Hispanic students, 73.2 percent graduated in 2012, up 1.8 points from the year before.

There was a corresponding drop in the state's dropout rate.

The superintendent's office reported 13.2 percent of students who began high school in 2008-2009 dropped out. That was down 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

The dropout rate among African-American students dropped 3.1 points to 22.2 percent. Among Hispanic students, the dropout rate fell 2.1 points to 16.2 percent.

Another 8.3 percent of students were labeled as neither dropouts nor graduates.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said while the trend is positive, California schools still need to do more. He said he'd like to see the graduation rate top 80 percent in the near future and then reach 90 percent by 2020.

He commended local school officials for improving education despite budget cuts the past few years and the fact California is 49th in the nation in education funding.

"As I travel up and down the state, I see great things happening in California schools every day," said Torlakson.