Oregon, C.O. HS graduation rates rise amid tumultuous year affected by COVID-19
(Update: Adding video, comments from school officials)
Nearly all tri-county high schools show an increase in graduation rates
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Despite a number of major COVID-19-related changes to last year's school year, students and schools still found ways to increase graduation rates.
Four out of the five high schools in Bend-La Pine Schools reported an increase in graduation rates. The Bend Tech Academy at Marshall had its graduation rate increase 16.5% to nearly 63%. La Pine High rose about 6.5%, while Mountain View High rose by nearly 6% and Summit High saw an increase of nearly 4.5%.
Katie Legace, the deputy superintendent for high schools at Bend-La Pine Schools, attributed the success of the graduating class to the teachers that learned to adapt to a new curriculum.
"Well, I think the credit has to go to our support staff and our teachers working with our students," Legace said. "They have done a phenomenal job."
All three high schools in the Redmond School District combined to bring the graduation rate there to close to 88%, five percentage points above the state average.
Sheila Miller, the district's public information officer, said in a statement that distance learning may have played a role in the increase because of the new curriculum.
"The Oregon Department of Education required all districts to use a pass / no pass grading scale during distance learning. We believe that may have played a role in the increase," Miller wrote.
In Crook County, the graduation rate rose about 8% from 72% in 2019 to 80% in 2020 an all-time record for the district; Crook County High School's rate rose to 91%.
For Crook County School District Superintendent Sara Johnson, raising the graduation rate has been a goal ever since she took the role in 2018.
“It’s very exciting to have that kind of improvement over a spanned period of time," Johnson told NewsChannel 21 on Thursday. "We intend to continue to push this and really get above 95% and stay there. We think that's realistic."
Below are news releases from the Oregon Department of Education and Central Oregon school districts
Here's the Oregon Department of Education news release:
Statewide Graduation Rate Jumps More Than Two Points to Another All-Time High of 82.6 Percent
Rates for most historically underserved student groups increase more than state average
(Salem, Ore.) – The statewide graduation rate for the class of 2019-20 is 82.6 percent, up 2.6 percentage points over the previous year and the highest graduation rate ever recorded in Oregon, according to data released today by the Oregon Department of Education (ODE). The increase means the four-year graduation rate has increased more than 10 percentage points compared to six years ago.
The gap in high school graduation rates between most historically underserved student groups and the state average is smaller than in previous years as well. The year-to-year increase in graduation rates was greater for nearly every underserved student group than the increase in the state average, bringing those underserved student groups closer to the statewide average than ever before.
“While the Class of 2020 ended their high school careers in a way no one wanted or expected, the graduation rate shows how much work they put in over the last 13 years with the support of their teachers and families,” ODE Director Colt Gill said. “Seeing greater growth in graduation rates for most students of color, students with disabilities and students navigating poverty than the state as a whole means our continued efforts to foster equity and excellence for all Oregon students continues to yield positive results.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that closed schools to in-person learning in March 2020, some of the rules regarding graduation were changed. Seniors still had the same 24 credit requirement for the Oregon Diploma as in previous years. But, they were assured credit for any course in which they were passing at the time of the extended school closure. This allowed schools to provide additional focus on securing credit-earning opportunities and learning for seniors who were not yet passing all required courses at the time of the school closure.
The table below shows how some student groups fared since the 2010-2011 cohort graduated in 2014:
| Student Group | Class of 2014* | Class of 2020** | Difference |
| All | 72.0 | 82.6 | 10.6 |
| Asian | 85.9 | 92.2 | 6.3 |
| Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander | 68.8 | 76.6 | 7.8 |
| American Indian/ Alaska Native | 53.5 | 67.2 | 13.7 |
| Black/African American | 60.2 | 76.3 | 16.1 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 64.9 | 79.5 | 14.6 |
| English Learners in High School | 51.7 | 64.6 | 12.9 |
| Special Education | 51.1 | 68.0 | 16.9 |
“Year over year, Oregon has worked to address the systemic inequities that impact our students from Black, Latino, Latina, and Latinx, Indigenous, tribal, Pacific Islander, and communities of color,” said Governor Kate Brown. “In each of the last six years, Oregon’s graduation rate has risen, and we have steadily increased the number of students from communities of color completing high school. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the disparities in our education system even further, which is why it is so critical we get our students back into the classroom as quickly as possible. We must renew our commitment to ensuring that every student in Oregon graduates prepared for lifelong success.”
Other highlights from the data:
- African American/Black students saw the largest increase over last year of any student group, up 5.9 percentage points to 76.3 percent. That is close to what the statewide average graduation rate for all students was four years before (76.7 percent).
- Hispanic/Latino students graduated at a rate of 79.5 percent, up 3.3 percentage points from the previous year and higher than the statewide average was two years ago (78.7 percent).
- Students who have successfully completed English Learner programs in Oregon before they enter high school graduate at a rate of 86.1 percent, higher than the statewide average. Speaking multiple languages improves education outcomes no matter which language a student learns first.
- Career and Technical Education participants (those students taking at least one CTE course) graduated at a rate of 90.8 percent in four years and CTE concentrators (students passing two classes in a CTE Program of Study) had a 94.8 percent graduation rate in four years.
- The graduation rate for students experiencing homelessness is up from 50.7 percent from the class of 2017, to 60.5 percent for the class of 2020. The class of 2017 was the first class for which this data was calculated.
# # #
* Students who began high school in the 2010-2011 school year.
** Students who began high school in the 2016-2017 school year.
Bend-La Pine Schools news release:
Class of 2020 Records All-Time High Graduation Rate
Bend-La Pine Schools’ grad rate soared more than 17 percentage points in past decade; district also records highest grad rate among historically underserved student population
Bend-La Pine Schools recorded its highest graduation rate on record – 85.9 percent – jumping nearly five percentage points and marking an increase of 17.7 percentage points over the last decade, according to a report released by the Oregon Department of Education today.
“These rates are encouraging, and we know they reflect the hard work on the part of our staff and the Class of 2020, who completed the final three months of the school year under the stress of a pandemic,” said Lora Nordquist, Interim Superintendent for Bend-La Pine Schools. “Graduation is the culmination of four years of work and has been an important focus for our high schools for years and today’s gains are part of a larger upward trend.”
Nordquist noted that the graduation rates were likely impacted by the pandemic, although it is challenging to say by what magnitude. “Our celebrations are tempered today, as we do not know what the long-term impact of the pandemic and distance learning will have on our students and the graduation rate. We remain committed to serving all of our students and our staff have been working tirelessly to serve all students and meet their needs.”
All high schools in the district remained the same or recorded an increase in graduation rate over last year:
- Bend Senior High: 91.2 percent (unchanged)
- Bend Tech Academy at Marshall: 62.7 percent (up 16.5 percentage points)
- La Pine High: 76.7 percent (up 6.4 percentage points)
- Mountain View High: 92.1 percent (up 5.8 percentage points)
- Summit High: 94.4 percent (up 4.4 percentage points)
The graduation rate for students of underserved races/ethnicities in Bend-La Pine Schools rose more than 10 percentage points to 79.2 percent, including a nearly 12-point jump for Hispanic/Latino students. Additionally, the graduation rate for many student groups increased, including the rates for English language learners and those identified as economically disadvantaged, among others.
About the Numbers: The graduation rate tracks students beginning in ninth grade and measures how many of those students graduate within four years. The rate is adjusted for students moving in or out of the district.
2019-20: 85.9 percent
2018-19: 80.6 percent
2017-18: 81.9 percent
2016-17: 78.7 percent
2015-16: 77.5 percent
2014-15: 77.2 percent
2013-14: 77.2 percent
2012-13: 78.6 percent
2011-12: 72.2 percent
2010-11: 68.2 percent
Redmond School District news release:
Redmond Continues to Show Growth in Graduation Rates
Redmond, Ore. -- The Redmond School District’s districtwide four-year and five-year cohort graduation rates improved and the district’s one-year dropout rate dropped in the 2019-20 school year.
Of the 624 students who were freshmen in 2016-17, 87.8 percent graduated within four years in 2020. That is a full 5 percentage points above the state, which posted an 82.6 percent graduation rate.
Of the 675 students who were freshmen in 2015-16, 85.5 percent graduated within five years in 2020, and 88.3 percent of them completed school within five years -- meaning they earned a diploma, extended or modified diploma or GED within five years. That is above the state’s 87.2 percent five-year completer rate.
“The district’s improvement in graduation rates is directly tied to a collective effort from teachers, counselors, principals and parents to ensure each student had every opportunity to graduate on time,” said David Burke, Redmond School District’s Director of Secondary Programs. “We are excited about the continuous and steady increase in graduation year over year. Although the overall numbers are good to recognize, it's the individual students we celebrate. For the students who did not graduate last spring, we know them by name and are working hard to help them either earn their diploma or GED.”
The district’s one-year dropout rate dropped from 4 percent in 2018-19 to 2.3 percent in 2019-20. That is in line with the state’s 2.38 percent dropout rate in 2019-20.
“We celebrate the hard work of our teachers, administrators, and most importantly the graduates and their families,” Superintendent Charan Cline said. “The continuous improvement in graduation rates has been impressive, but we will never be satisfied until every one of our students leaves our schools with a positive path forward.”
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE:
News release from Crook County School District:
Crook County School District Sees Highest District-Wide Graduation Rate Since 2008
District leaders say improvement in three key areas is driving results
Superintendent Dr. Sara Johnson has made improving graduation rates one of her top priorities since arriving at the helm in 2018. Three years later, Crook County School District posted its highest district-wide graduation rate since 2008 of 80%. That’s also an 8% increase over 2019’s graduation rate of 72%.
The district-wide graduation rate is a combination of rates among Crook County High School and the alternative schools of Pioneer, Rimrock, and COIC. Crook County High School’s graduation rate of 91% is consistent with outcomes since 2016.
“We’re in the business of serving and helping students and we owe it to our community to keep moving the needle and improve graduation rates. Students who graduate with a high school diploma are more likely to find a job and have lower rates of unemployment as adults. While we’re happy with the results, our work is far from over. I’ll be collaborating with the school board and our principals to find new and innovative ways to reach more students in the future,” said Superintendent Dr. Sara Johnson.
Dr. Johnson points to success in three key areas that are behind the improved graduation rates. The school district continues to grow its Career & Technical Education programs for middle and high school students, enhance resources for special education students, and ensure Hispanic students are on track to graduate through efforts like the dual-language program at the elementary level and the college-readiness program AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination).
Graduation Results in Focus Areas
- Career & Technical Education (CCSD) 96%
- Students with Disabilities (CCHS) 95%
- Hispanic Students (CCSD) 92%
“Graduating 95% of our students with disabilities from CCHS is a phenomenal achievement. That’s a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our staff, and the personalized outreach we’ve developed through our special education advocates. We’ve also made great strides with our minority students and families. We have Hispanic staff members dedicated to our Hispanic students in every building, and that helps them feel welcome and safe in our schools,” explained Dr. Johnson.
Thanks to continued investments by Facebook, the school district has added a new CTE program at Crook County Middle School called Life Skills, and the new Computer Science program at Crook County High School will offer students the ability to complete a national certification program in coding.
“We know that CTE classes help improve grades in core classes, because they offer students a real-life, hands-on experience that keeps them engaged and more excited to come to school. CCHS is proud to offer one of the most robust CTE programs in the region that includes classes like health occupations, ag science, natural resources, graphic design, culinary arts, business marketing, computer science, and robotics. And we’re getting ready to launch a new construction program as well,” stated CCHS Principal Michelle Jonas.
COVID-19 has made it challenging for some students to stay on track as engagement tends to fall when students are learning from home. Dr. Johnson says the school district is keeping track of every student, especially seniors, who are missing credits and jeopardizing the opportunity to graduate in the spring.
“We’re fortunate that high school students have been in the classroom two days a week in our hybrid model, but some students really struggle without the daily interaction with their teachers and peers. Each of our high school principals has a list of students they track and provide additional support and resources, so none of our students is left behind.”
