Wyoming’s High School Graduation Rate Remains Below The National Level Despite Slight Gains

Wyoming's high school graduation rate in 2015 remained below the national level despite acquiring slight gains, according to new figures released by the state's Department of Education's on Monday. The data also shows that high school graduation rates among districts and students varied dramatically.

Casper Star Tribune reports that 79.4 percent of high school seniors graduated on time across Wyoming in the school year 2014-2015. This is slightly higher compared to the statewide high school graduation rate in the school year 2013-2014, which is 78.6 percent. Despite slight gains, it remained below the national rate, which is 82 percent as reported by the U.S. Department of Education in December.

The recent data also shows wide variations in performances among school districts across Wyoming. Sheridan and Lincoln county school districts registered more than 90 percent graduation rates while Wind River Reservation school districts showed low turnouts of graduates, which are between 20 percent and 40 percent.

Recent figures also unveiled wide disparity among Wyoming students. Poor and homeless students, as well as Native American students had lower graduation rates. Latino and African American students also registered rates below the statewide average. Moreover, the rate of young women who graduated is also 50 percent higher than their male counterparts.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow told Wyoming News that they are targeting for a statewide graduation rate of 100 percent without sacrificing educational standards. She added that the target could be achieved in the future with the help of the Every Student Succeeds Act, a new federal education law that replaced the widely unpopular No Child Left Behind Act in December.

Balow, however, said that graduation is not a race and it depends on the student's skill sets and progress. "Whenever a student gets their diploma, they really are setting the stage for future success," she stated.

The recent figures did not include students who finished high school before or after the four-year norm. "On-time" graduation is the federal metric for determining statewide graduation rates.