Portland, Oregon Graduating Rates on the Rise, According to New Data

Friday, January 29, 2016

Brendan Murray, GoLocalPDX Contributor

Data released by the Oregon Department of Education on Thursday showed that graduation rates in high schools in the City of Portland and around the State of Oregon are going up. According to the new report, 74 percent of Oregon high school students are graduating in four years, along with 73 percent of students in Portland.

The 74 percent figure is a two percent increase from 2014 statistics. State leaders said on Thursday that they were pleased with the growing number of on-time graduates in the state.

“This increase moves us closer to our goal of having every Oregon student complete high school with a plan," Governor Kate Brown said. “We have work to do as a state to reach that goal, and I am committed to making sure our education system delivers better outcomes.”

SEE SLIDES BELOW: the Portland High Schools with the Best Graduation Rates

Deputy Superintendent Salam Noor acknowledged that while the graduation rate is still too low to be considered acceptable, the increase was a vital sign of progress for a troubled education system in Oregon.

“While our graduation rate is far from where we want and need it to be, this increase means we are headed in the right direction and is truly something to celebrate,” Noor said. “I want to recognize our teachers, administrators, students, families, and communities for the incredible focus, dedication, and hard work they have put into helping more of our students graduate on time and with the skills needed to succeed in college and the workplace.”

Jefferson High School

Jefferson High School Leads Portland Increase

According to the state’s new data, nearly three out of four students in the City of Portland are now graduating high school on time, a three-point increase from 2014 statistics.

Of 3,222 possible graduates last spring at Portland Public Schools 2,326 students received diplomas, plus another 49 with modified diplomas, for a total graduation rate of 73 percent. In addition, more than 100 students earned their GED high school equivalency. Many more earned a diploma or high school equivalency in five years.

Portland’s Jefferson High School led the way, growing it’s graduation rate by a whopping 14 percent. Now, four in five students, or 80 percent, are receiving diplomas at Jefferson. The increase received praise from the State Department of Education.

“It is a very impressive increase,” said Crystal Greene, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education.

Jefferson High School Principal Margaret Calvert attributes the school’s success to her staff ’s
ownership for student success, a focus on college-level course work for all students, and close partnerships with Portland Community College, Portland State University, and Self Enhancement, Inc., a Portland non-profit supporting historically underserved youth.

Calvert said that Jefferson has reached a “tipping point” where a shared commitment to success and an ethic of excellence and hard work have taken over the school.

The state also released dropout rates. Portland Public Schools had a four percent dropout rate, as 525 kids left school early in the past year. Homeless student seemed particularly at risk to dropping out as 14-percent of the district’s 501 homeless students left school by the end of the year.

What Does It Mean?

Experts told GoLocal that the increase in high school graduation rates is especially meaningful for the state of education and the economy in Oregon.

John Taponga, President of EcoNorthwest, told GoLocal that the best way to fix the economic problems in the state is to revamp the state's failing education system

"First and foremost, we need to improve the reputation of our education system," Taponga said, "from kindergarten to high school, all the way to higher education."

He advocated for better communication between companies and potential employers about what skills are needed in the workforce.

"People will talk about how they can't find jobs, while companies will tell you they have shortages," Taponga said. "Companies need to talk to schools, who need to talk to students about what skills they need to have."