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PRESS RELEASE
October 31, 2003
ALIA FARAJ
(850) 488-5394
Frances Marine
(850) 245-0413
Governor Bush and Commissioner Horne Announce Increase in Graduation Rates
More students earn diplomas while meeting higher standards, Hispanic students
lead decrease in number of dropouts
TALLAHASSEE — Governor Jeb Bush and Education Commissioner Jim Horne today announced yet another increase in Florida's high school graduation rate. The graduation rate rose from 67.9 percent last year to 69 percent this year. The increase continues a four-year trend, with a jump from 60.2 percent in 1998-99. Meanwhile, the dropout rate also decreased for the fourth straight year from 3.2 percent last year to 3 percent this year.
"Thanks to the efforts of students, teachers, parents, and principals, we have kept more students in high school through graduation, while ensuring that a Florida diploma signifies real academic achievement and solid preparation for higher education," said Governor Bush. "We also continue to close the achievement gap, with minority students leading the decline in high school dropouts."
In 1998-99 the dropout rate was 5.4 percent. The most dramatic decline in dropouts has been among Hispanic students - from 8.3 percent in 1998-99 to 3.5 percent this year. The decrease in the number of dropouts has also been significant among African American students. The dropout rate among African Americans saw a 2.8 percentage point drop versus a 2.4 percent drop among the general population.
"Not only are more students staying in school, they are entering higher education and the workforce better prepared to meet the challenges ahead," said Horne. "We will continue to work hard to arm our students with the skills and support they need to achieve success."
This year's increase in the graduation rate occurred even as Florida implemented higher standards for graduation. In 2002-03, students had to demonstrate proficiency in math and reading through the 10th grade Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) or an equivalent. By contrast, in prior years, students had to pass the High School Competency Test (HSCT), an eighth grade level assessment.
In its definition of "graduate," Florida includes all students who receive standard diplomas, special diplomas (for certain students with disabilities), high school exit-option GED (General Educational Development) diplomas, adult standard diplomas, and adult GED diplomas. Certificate recipients are not counted as graduates. All students in the calculation for 2002-03 must have entered ninth grade for the first time in fall 1999.
"Unlike other states and certain national studies, our graduation rate is an actual count of students who received a diploma," said Horne. "We do not use statistical sampling."
The results for Florida's statewide four-year graduation rate are as follows:
The results for Florida's statewide dropout rate by ethnicity are as follows:
Attached is a list of graduation rates from 1998-99 through 2002-03 by school district.
|
Graduation Rates of Florida School Districts, 1998-99 to 2002-03 |
|||||||
|
1998-99 |
1999-00 |
2000-01 |
2001-02 |
2002-03 |
Change since 1998-99 |
Change since 2001-02 |
|
|
ALACHUA |
63.3% |
63.7% |
61.2% |
66.4% |
67.5% |
4.2% |
1.1% |
|
BAKER |
55.7% |
54.3% |
55.1% |
60.8% |
67.3% |
11.6% |
6.5% |
|
BAY |
55.9% |
65.9% |
68.3% |
70.3% |
76.6% |
20.7% |
6.3% |
|
BRADFORD |
60.4% |
67.4% |
70.8% |
75.2% |
74.7% |
14.3% |
-0.5% |
|
BREVARD |
64.0% |
80.4% |
86.8% |
88.5% |
88.4% |
24.4% |
-0.1% |
|
BROWARD |
53.5% |
63.9% |
62.3% |
65.2% |
62.7% |
9.3% |
-2.5% |
|
CALHOUN |
83.5% |
90.4% |
86.8% |
86.8% |
87.8% |
4.3% |
1.0% |
|
CHARLOTTE |
68.4% |
71.7% |
74.7% |
75.8% |
68.0% |
-0.4% |
-7.8% |
|
CITRUS |
70.8% |
72.3% |
73.6% |
71.2% |
75.3% |
4.5% |
4.2% |
|
CLAY |
65.3% |
65.9% |
67.3% |
70.9% |
75.4% |
10.1% |
4.5% |
|
COLLIER |
63.0% |
63.3% |
64.5% |
68.2% |
67.6% |
4.6% |
-0.5% |
|
COLUMBIA |
63.6% |
61.8% |
59.5% |
68.1% |
73.1% |
9.5% |
5.1% |
|
DADE |
53.2% |
52.2% |
53.9% |
55.7% |
57.9% |
4.7% |
2.2% |
|
DESOTO |
62.7% |
67.5% |
64.8% |
69.7% |
66.2% |
3.5% |
-3.5% |
|
DIXIE |
60.5% |
71.2% |
73.8% |
75.1% |
63.8% |
3.3% |
-11.3% |
|
DUVAL |
58.7% |
57.4% |
55.9% |
61.0% |
63.7% |
5.1% |
2.7% |
|
ESCAMBIA |
62.6% |
65.2% |
65.2% |
69.9% |
64.9% |
2.3% |
-5.0% |
|
FLAGLER |
63.5% |
64.4% |
67.4% |
72.2% |
81.3% |
17.8% |
9.1% |
|
FRANKLIN |
71.2% |
63.2% |
65.8% |
57.9% |
72.8% |
1.6% |
14.9% |
|
GADSDEN |
46.0% |
50.7% |
51.0% |
52.4% |
48.1% |
2.1% |
-4.3% |
|
GILCHRIST |
64.1% |
55.4% |
66.5% |
69.6% |
76.8% |
12.7% |
7.2% |
|
GLADES |
66.7% |
51.0% |
54.8% |
54.7% |
59.4% |
-7.3% |
4.8% |
|
GULF |
80.0% |
83.0% |
81.5% |
83.8% |
87.8% |
7.8% |
4.0% |
|
HAMILTON |
54.3% |
70.4% |
59.5% |
67.9% |
61.5% |
7.2% |
-6.4% |
|
HARDEE |
65.0% |
65.5% |
57.6% |
67.6% |
62.0% |
-3.0% |
-5.6% |
|
HENDRY |
66.7% |
59.8% |
50.5% |
52.1% |
63.9% |
-2.8% |
11.8% |
|
HERNANDO |
68.7% |
67.4% |
67.8% |
74.0% |
77.3% |
8.6% |
3.3% |
|
HIGHLANDS |
70.0% |
64.7% |
68.6% |
58.6% |
66.9% |
-3.1% |
8.3% |
|
HILLSBOROUGH |
69.5% |
71.4% |
74.4% |
77.5% |
75.8% |
6.3% |
-1.7% |
|
HOLMES |
76.6% |
73.5% |
79.2% |
79.8% |
85.4% |
8.8% |
5.6% |
|
INDIAN RIVER |
65.2% |
64.9% |
65.9% |
78.9% |
76.1% |
10.9% |
-2.8% |
|
JACKSON |
58.1% |
49.8% |
53.0% |
59.6% |
76.5% |
18.4% |
16.9% |
|
JEFFERSON |
62.6% |
65.3% |
78.8% |
64.5% |
71.8% |
9.2% |
7.3% |
|
LAFAYETTE |
80.6% |
65.5% |
58.0% |
69.0% |
79.5% |
-1.1% |
10.5% |
|
LAKE |
65.0% |
66.3% |
67.5% |
68.7% |
73.0% |
8.0% |
4.3% |
|
LEE |
69.4% |
67.8% |
65.9% |
66.0% |
68.3% |
-1.1% |
2.3% |
|
LEON |
64.7% |
67.3% |
64.2% |
74.3% |
75.8% |
11.2% |
1.5% |
|
LEVY |
61.2% |
65.9% |
55.7% |
57.0% |
63.5% |
2.3% |
6.5% |
|
LIBERTY |
71.7% |
72.7% |
82.0% |
77.5% |
90.7% |
19.0% |
13.2% |
|
MADISON |
67.5% |
56.3% |
68.4% |
63.8% |
68.0% |
0.5% |
4.2% |
|
MANATEE |
56.2% |
61.4% |
65.2% |
68.9% |
73.8% |
17.6% |
5.0% |
|
MARION |
57.9% |
60.3% |
65.2% |
69.1% |
70.6% |
12.7% |
1.6% |
|
MARTIN |
60.6% |
83.3% |
85.4% |
84.4% |
85.1% |
24.5% |
0.7% |
|
MONROE |
71.0% |
72.0% |
68.5% |
74.2% |
73.9% |
2.9% |
-0.3% |
|
NASSAU |
73.7% |
67.9% |
55.1% |
76.7% |
79.5% |
5.8% |
2.8% |
|
OKALOOSA |
77.1% |
77.5% |
76.8% |
83.7% |
83.7% |
6.6% |
0.0% |
|
OKEECHOBEE |
62.7% |
64.3% |
63.6% |
67.6% |
67.3% |
4.6% |
-0.3% |
|
ORANGE |
51.3% |
49.5% |
59.8% |
68.3% |
68.5% |
17.2% |
0.2% |
|
OSCEOLA |
55.7% |
58.9% |
58.4% |
66.1% |
66.7% |
11.0% |
0.6% |
|
PALM BEACH |
58.2% |
63.6% |
64.9% |
66.6% |
66.0% |
7.8% |
-0.6% |
|
PASCO |
63.5% |
64.8% |
65.9% |
71.7% |
74.9% |
11.4% |
3.2% |
|
PINELLAS |
65.3% |
64.3% |
64.4% |
66.4% |
69.0% |
3.7% |
2.6% |
|
POLK |
53.3% |
55.3% |
52.6% |
66.9% |
65.7% |
12.4% |
-1.2% |
|
PUTNAM |
65.8% |
61.2% |
62.9% |
71.1% |
79.5% |
13.7% |
8.4% |
|
ST. JOHNS |
72.0% |
74.9% |
77.1% |
76.1% |
78.2% |
6.2% |
2.1% |
|
ST. LUCIE |
63.5% |
62.9% |
69.6% |
77.0% |
76.8% |
13.4% |
-0.2% |
|
SANTA ROSA |
75.4% |
73.5% |
75.4% |
85.5% |
83.3% |
7.9% |
-2.2% |
|
SARASOTA |
63.0% |
63.4% |
70.3% |
71.8% |
76.4% |
13.4% |
4.6% |
|
SEMINOLE |
63.3% |
67.0% |
70.9% |
77.8% |
81.4% |
18.1% |
3.6% |
|
SUMTER |
71.4% |
74.8% |
73.1% |
72.1% |
79.8% |
8.4% |
7.7% |
|
SUWANNEE |
60.6% |
57.7% |
60.7% |
71.2% |
72.3% |
11.7% |
1.1% |
|
TAYLOR |
61.4% |
55.1% |
58.2% |
68.7% |
71.2% |
9.8% |
2.5% |
|
UNION |
61.0% |
58.8% |
63.2% |
78.4% |
67.1% |
6.1% |
-11.3% |
|
VOLUSIA |
70.1% |
74.9% |
77.0% |
81.5% |
80.1% |
10.0% |
-1.4% |
|
WAKULLA |
76.2% |
73.7% |
72.5% |
81.2% |
83.6% |
7.4% |
2.4% |
|
WALTON |
68.9% |
75.4% |
72.1% |
69.9% |
71.3% |
2.4% |
1.4% |
|
WASHINGTON |
65.9% |
69.0% |
70.5% |
70.1% |
66.8% |
0.9% |
-3.3% |
|
STATE |
60.2% |
62.3% |
63.8% |
67.9% |
69.0% |
8.8% |
1.1% |