Duval County Continues to Increase Graduation Rate
Jacksonville, FL - Governor Charlie Crist and Education Commissioner Eric Smith recently announced that Duval County's graduation rate rose 3.2 percentage points to 64.5%.
The State of Florida has recently changed the formula for calculating graduating rates, which no longer include GED recipients as graduates. As a result of this new formula, graduation rates are lower than those reported in the past.
"Regardless of the formula used, we are continuing to see an increase in the graduation rate in Duval County," said Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Ed Pratt-Dannals. "Our teachers are working diligently to increase student achievement, and the increase we are seeing in our graduation rate is a strong indicator of the positive progress our schools are making."
If the newly adopted formula would have been in place last year, the graduation rate would have been 61.3%, rather than the 65.9% as determined by the old formula. Additionally, Stanton College Preparatory was recognized for having 100% of their students graduate in 2009.
The graduation rate being used in the new grading formula is the National Governor's Association (NGA) rate. The State Board of Education approved the state’s new high school grading formula in September that incorporates graduation rates into the grading of high schools. The decision to use this rate was made because the federal government is moving all states to adopt a uniform calculation method by 2010-2011, that includes standard diplomas and excludes GEDs and special diplomas. Using the NGA rate now helps to transition school districts to that new federal rate when it becomes effective.
Duval County Public Schools, the nation's 20th largest school district, operates 166 schools and serves approximately 123,000 students. The school district is committed to providing high quality educational opportunities that will inspire all students to acquire and use the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in a global economy, and culturally diverse world.
More DCPS News
