SD County Grad and Dropout Rates Improve Slightly

The graduation rate in San Diego County for the 2011- 12 school year was 78.4 percent, with a dropout rate of 10.4 percent, according to figures released today by the state Department of Education.

Both figures represent about a one percentage point improvement over the prior year, and a couple of points better than two years earlier, according to CDE data.

The graduation and dropout rates were for students who entered the ninth grade in 2008-09. Those who didn't graduate with their class or leave school altogether either remained enrolled, completed special education programs or passed the General Educational Development (GED) test.

The upticks reflected statewide gains. According to the CDE, 78.5 percent of Californians graduated with their class last year, up 1.4 percent from last year. Black and Hispanic students also posted gains of about a couple of percentage points each.

"There are great things happening in California's schools every day, and the upward climb of our graduation rate bears that out," according to Tom Torlakson, the state superintendent of public instruction. "While I am glad to announce that we are moving in the right direction, the fact remains that we must keep moving to ensure that every California student graduates ready to succeed in the world they will find outside our classrooms."

The statewide dropout rate declined 1.5 percent to 13.2 percent.

At Helix Charter High School, one of two Grossmont Union High School District campuses that serve Lemon Grove, 90.7 percent of students graduated in 2011-12 and 4.6 percent dropped out, according to state figures. The figures show a slight improvement from 2010-11 when the graduation rate was 89.9 percent.  The dropout rate for 2010-11 was 4.2 percent.

For white students, the 2011-12 graduation rate was 93 percent and 3.5 percent for the dropout rate.  The rates were 90.7 percent and 6.2 percent for blacks, 88.6 and 5.2 percent for Hispanics, and 97 percent and 3 percent for Asians.

Mt. Miguel High School reported a 68.7 percent graduation rate overall and a 22.9 percent dropout rate for 2011-12, according to state data. In 2010-11, the graduation rate was 69.7 percent and the dropout rate 21.6.

White students had a graduation rate of 53.9 percent and a dropout rate of 36.5 percent, blacks 74 percent and 20.8 percent, 67.8 percent and 21.2 percent for Hispanics, and 66.7 percent and 33.3 percent for Asians.

In the San Diego Unified School District -- the state's second largest, 86.9 percent of students who entered high school in 2008-09 graduated with their class last year. The figure is about a point and a half better than the prior year and up four percentage points from two years earlier, the data showed.

The dropout rate in San Diego Unified of 6.2 percent was about the same as the prior year, but two points better than two years before.

In San Diego Unified, the graduation rate for white students was 93.8 percent, with a dropout rate of 2.1 percent, according to the CDE statistics. For Hispanics, the rates were 80.2 percent and 9.9 percent; for blacks 83.9 percent and 7 percent; and for Asians, 92.1 percent and 4.2 percent.