Colorado Graduation Rates are Up

Colorado is celebrating increases in high school graduation rates, with 84.2% of students graduating in 2024, the state’s highest rate in more than a decade. At the same time, dropout rates declined to 1.9%. Colorado Education Commissioner, Susana Córdova, said, “While we are seeing promising progress, we are continuing to see our students of color and our students with the highest needs graduating below our statewide rates.” 

According to the Colorado Department of Education, while Colorado’s overall four-year graduation rate improved, gaps persist across race/ethnicity and specific student groups: 

  • Four-year graduation rates for most students of color, students experiencing homelessness, students from migrant families, students with disabilities, multilingual learners, students in foster care, male students and students who are economically disadvantaged lag behind the statewide graduation rate of 84.2%.
  • Four-year graduation rate increases for American Indian/Alaskan Native (+1.9%), Hispanic (+1.2%), and multiracial (+1.5%) students increased above the statewide increase of 1.1%.
  • Students experiencing homelessness (+3.6%) and students in foster care (+4.2%) showed the most improvement in the four-year rate, although graduation rates for those student groups are much lower.

One strategy, backed by decades of research, to improve results for all students is implementing a ninth-grade success approach. Improving ninth grade on track rates, improves graduation rates, increases attendance, decreases drop-out rates, and has many other benefits for students and schools.

In a Colorado Public Radio story, Englewood Public Schools Superintendent, Joanna Polzin attributed the growth in their graduation rates to several strategies, including their focus on ninth grade on-track and their partnership with the Colorado Center for High School Success (CHSS). 

Ninth grade on-track work includes implementing targeted interventions, transition supports, school-based teaching teams, certain instructional approaches, and more. Schools doing this work must invest financially and increase staff collaboration.

This year, one of our top priorities is to protect funding for The Ninth Grade Success Grant Program allowing more Colorado schools to implement the proven 9th grade success approach that changes the trajectory for high school students across Colorado, by reducing absenteeism and dropouts and increasing on-time graduation. 

For more reading:

Colorado Public Radio, More Colorado high school students are graduating, and fewer are dropping out

Chalkbeat Colorado, Colorado’s graduation rate rose, and its dropout rate fell in 2024

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