Reprinted from a Nebraska Department of Education press release.
Nebraska’s high school graduation rate ranks fourth nationally with 86 percent of seniors graduating in 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Education’ first-ever study focusing on a new method for determining graduation rates.
Under the new calculation method called the Cohort Graduation Rate, Nebraska and other states are required to track students as 9th graders to determine how many graduate four years later.
Iowa ranked at the top with an 88 percent graduation rate followed by Vermont and Wisconsin each with an 87 percent graduation rate. Nebraska ranked fourth with an 86 percent four-year cohort graduation rate, tying with five other states: Indiana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Tennessee and Texas.
Nebraska’s 2011 five-year cohort graduation rate was higher, 89 percent. Some students take longer to graduate from high school for a number of reasons, such as illness or family circumstances, and students with special needs may attend school until age 21.
Nebraska has a goal to graduate 90% or more of its students every year.
