Contrary to national data, high school graduation rates at the state and local school district levels were actually lower in 2022 than they were pre-pandemic, according to new research.
Data from The Grad Partnership for Student Success, a coalition of nonprofit organizations partnering with schools and districts to scale student success systems, suggest that the “national rebound” in graduation rates is masked by large states like New York and California that waived graduation requirements. But after taking a closer look, the researchers uncovered that 26 states had lower graduation rates in 2022 than in 2019. Furthermore, less than half of the nation’s districts (43%) saw rebounds in their high school graduation rates in 2022.
“The data we’ve collected sheds much-needed light on the pandemic’s deep and varied effects on students across the country,” said Robert Balfanz, director of the Everyone Graduates Center at Johns Hopkins University, which helps lead the GRAD Partnership coalition.
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The researchers also identified several contributors that dragged down graduation rates. For instance, a district that spent more time in remote and hybrid learning during the 2020-21 school year recorded lower graduation rates that same year. However, when states waived high school exit exam requirements, district graduation rates in those states improved.
Students who were in sixth or seventh grade when the pandemic hit appear to have been impacted the most. The full toll of the pandemic on educational attainment may not be fully reflected in currently available secondary school data, according to the report.
Overall, the report reflects a complex picture of the pandemic’s immediate and potential long-term effects on educational attainment. We encourage you to read the report yourself to learn more about which areas your district may need more support to meet this year’s academic goals.
