High school graduation rates reach all time high

The nation’s high school students are graduating at an rate that is higher than they ever have according to a report from U.S. Department of Education released on Tuesday.

The report shows a graduation rate that reached an average 82 percent in the 2013-2014 academic year, up from 81 percent in 2011-2012 school year and 80 percent in 2010-2011.

In Missouri the latest available graduation rate for the 2013-2014 year is 87.3 percent up from 83.7 in 2010 and in Kansas the rate is 85.7 up from 84.5 percent. Both Kansas’s and Missouri’s graduation rates are significantly above the national average.

Included in the report are numbers that show the gap between white students and black and Hispanic students receiving high school diplomas has continued to narrow. Graduation rate for black students is 72.5 percent, Hispanic is 76.3 percent and for white students it is 87.2 percent. Asian students have the highest rate at 89.4 percent. The report also shows that traditionally under-served populations such as English language learners and students with disabilities have continued to make gains.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, in a statement Tuesday afternoon applauded state schools. “More students graduating from high school means greater economic opportunities for them, and a more competitive workforce for our state,” the governor said.

Secretary of Education Arne Duncan also praised educators. “The hard work of teachers, administrators, students and their families has made these gains possible and as a result many more students will have a better chance of going to college, getting a good job, owning their own home, and supporting a family,” Duncan, said in statement about Tuesday’s report “ We can take pride as a nation in knowing that we’re seeing promising gains, including for students of color.”

This story was originally published December 15, 2015 at 11:30 AM with the headline "High school graduation rates reach all time high."