Graduation Rate

Goal
To ensure that all Oklahoma public school students graduate high school

Progress

This measure reports the percentage of ninth grade students continuing through high school until they graduate. This particular method of calculating the graduation rate allows a comparison of Oklahoma's rate to that of the U.S.

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On average, 23% of Oklahoma students leave school between ninth grade and graduation. Graduation and receiving a high school diploma are gateways to entering the workforce and higher education. A college student's ability to perform academically is greatly influenced by the preparation received in their primary and secondary education. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, students obtaining a high school diploma earn significantly more than students who do not complete their high school studies.

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Oklahoma's ninth grade graduation rate consistently ranks approximately 5% above the national trend. Oklahoma's rate falls between 72.4% and 75.4% each year, while the national average is between 68.2% and 70.7%.

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Tracking rates over time allows subject matter experts to monitor trends and inconsistencies across the state, region and nation. Policymakers use this information to determine where to focus resources and how to develop programs and services designed to improve graduation rates. Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE) is a remediation opportunity implemented by the State of Oklahoma offering tutoring assistance to students in preparation for End-of-Instruction (EOI) exams. Legislation passed in 2012 ends "social promotion" by requiring third grade students to read at grade level before progressing to fourth grade. For more information on these and other educational programs, visit SDE.OK.gov.

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