News Brief

02/25/13

Maine High School Graduation Rate Up for Third Year in a Row

Bangor Daily News (Maine) (02/25/13) Moretto, Mario

According to the Maine Department of Education, the state's four-year graduation rate rose for the third consecutive year, climbing to 85.34 percent in the 2011-12 school year. The rate has climbed almost 5 percent since 2009 and edged up about 1.5 percent over the past year. The graduation rate was 91.5 percent for publicly funded private schools. The department also reports a decrease in the number of high school dropouts to 1,884 in the 2011-12 school year from 1,991 the prior year. State Education Commissioner Stephen Bowen says, "It's hard for us to say at the state level what is driving [the improved rate], other than we know schools are focusing on this issue, and a lot of work is being done at schools around the state." He notes the department must improve data analysis to get a full picture of education practices and whether graduates are truly ready for a post-secondary career.

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