A report from the National Center for Education Statistics finds Wisconsin had a 91.1 percent high school graduation rate during the 2009-2010 school year, the second highest in the nation. The national rate for the same time period was at 78.2 percent.
State Superintendent Tony Evers says it’s an accomplishment to be proud of, especially considering Wisconsin has continued to see the rate climb for several years in a row. Since 2004, Wisconsin’s graduation rate has grown by five percent and has ranked as first or second in the nation.
The report also shows the state high school drop-out rate was at 2.2 percent during the same time period, tied for 10th lowest in the nation. While Evers says Wisconsin did best the national rate of 3.4 percent, he notes that “anything that’s short of perfection in this area really is something we have to work on.”
The superintendent says the Department of Public Instruction is working on ways to continue improving graduation rates. That includes a state budget request to fund programs encouraging at-risk students to get involved with work study programs and remain engaged in school.
AUDIO: Andrew Beckett reports (1:09)