State's graduation rate projected to rise

By: Associated Press | Alabama's13.com
Published: June 09, 2008

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) - A national publication that tracks graduation rates indicates that Alabama's rate is improving.

Education Week's annual Diplomas Count report says Alabama's projected high school graduation rate for the 2004-2005 ninth grade class -- those who should have graduated in May -- is 61.3 percent.

The national projected rate for the same class is 70.6 percent. The report offers one of the earliest glimpses at how many high school students completed four years of school and walked away with a diploma this year.

But it also brings to the forefront the confusion in how graduation rates are calculated.

Alabama Department of Education spokesman Mitch Edwards says every one of these groups set their own formula for what is a graduate.

The state will release its graduation rate calculations in August when the Annual Yearly Progress report is released. Edwards says those percentages are likely to be higher than the numbers reported by Education Week.

He says actual complete data on the number of diplomas handed out to the class of 2008 will not be available until the fall.

State's graduation rate projected to rise

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