WI Graduation Rate Climbs with Class of 2018

Wisconsin’s
high school graduation rate rose with the class of 2018. The Wisconsin
Department of Public Instruction said in a news release Tuesday that the state’s
graduation rate jumped a point to 89.6 percent for the 2017-18 school year. The
rate for the 2016-17 school year was 88.6 percent. The data also showed notable
gap closures for student subgroups over five years, including a 5.1 point gap closure
for students learning English and their English proficient peers. Data also
found a 3.7 point graduation rate gap reduction for black or African American
students and a 3.6 point reduction for Hispanic students. State Superintendent
Carolyn Stanford Taylor said that graduation rate disparities are “truly
troubling” and that “we must persist in our work with schools and communities
to close gaps.” She also praised the class of 2018 for the rise in the
graduation rate, saying “graduation is to be celebrated because if improves students’
opportunities for better jobs, income and further education, which contributes
to life success.”