Graduation rate for Oregon foster children only 35 percent

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Oregon teens who spent time in foster care were less than half as likely as their classmates in the class of 2017 to graduate on time.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday the graduation rate for teenagers who spent any amount of their high school years in foster care was 35 percent, according to figures reported by the Oregon Department of Education late last year.

The state was able to identify 501 high school students who spent time in foster care, out of a 2017 class of 46,155 total students. That means just over 1 percent spent time in foster care.

Of just 16 states that have made foster care graduation rates available to the public, Oregon had the lowest rate. New Hampshire was the next worst, at 44 percent, followed by Washington at 46 percent, according to national education news site The 74.