Virginia education leaders said that despite the closure of schools in March due to COVID-19, nine out of ten students who entered the ninth grade during the 2016-2017 school year graduated within four years.
Of the 98,481 students in the class of 2020, 92.3% earned a diploma, compared with 91.5% of the class of 2019, Virginia superintendent of public instruction James Lane announced Wednesday.
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Lane said the dropout rate for the class of 2020 was 5.1%, compared with 5.6% for the previous graduating class.
Lane thanked Virginia educators and administrators for their flexibility and work during the transition to online learning from home.
According to the Virginia Department of Education, of the students who entered high school as first-time ninth graders in 2016:
- 51.8% earned an Advanced Studies Diploma (including International Baccalaureate);
- 38.1% earned a Standard Diploma;
- 2.4% earned an Applied Studies or Modified Standard Diploma (these are available only to students with disabilities);
- 1% earned a GED; and
- 5.1% dropped out.
Students who earn high school equivalency certificates, such as a GED, or complete high school without earning a diploma are not included as graduates in calculating graduation rates.
The Virginia Department of Education also provided graduation rates and dropout rates for major student racial, ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Here’s the breakdown:
- 98.1% of Asian students graduated and 1.2% dropped out;
- 91.3% of Black students graduated and 5% dropped out;
- 89% of economically disadvantaged students graduated and 6.8% dropped out;
- 73% of English learners graduated and 25.5% dropped out;
- 81.9% of Hispanic students graduated and 15.8% dropped out;
- 90.4% of students with disabilities graduated and 7.6% dropped out;
- 94.2% of students of multiple races graduated and 2.9% dropped out; and
- 95.2% of white students graduated and 2.5% dropped out.