State Graduation Rate Up Overall and Among African Americans
Style Magazine Newswire | 5/17/2019, 4:42 p.m.
Louisiana's four-year high school graduation rate has surpassed 80% for the first time, and the graduation rate for African American students in the state has — for the first time — surpassed the national average, state education officials said Wednesday. Louisiana Education Department figures show an overall graduation rate for 2018 of 81.4%. That's up from 78.2% in 2017. State Education Superintendent John White said reaching the 80% threshold meant "the state has finally hit a long-held goal" established by lawmakers and the state education board in 2012. White discussed the graduation data during a news conference on the steps of the state Capitol. The figures show black students' graduation rate jumped from just under 73% in 2017 to more than 78% last year. The most recent national average is 77.8%.