Feb. 9, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:
Melissa Reeves, mdreeves@jeffco.k12.co.us, Jeffco Public Schools, 303-982-6567
Lynn Setzer, lsetzer@jeffco.k12.co.us, Jeffco Public Schools, 303-982-6810

JEFFCO’S GRADUATION RATES TOP STATE

According to information released today by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), 84.7 percent of Jeffco students attending a neighborhood high school in 2010, graduated on-time.

For the first time, CDE is using a new formula to calculate graduation rates for Colorado school districts.  The new four-year formula defines on-time as only those students who graduate from high school four years after entering ninth grade.  Under the old system, students who took longer than four years to graduate were factored into the calculations.

The overall district graduation rate, which includes option and charter schools, is 78.1 percent. 

“Our graduation rates reflect the educational excellence happening every day in our classrooms.  We want 100 percent of our students to graduate and our staff will continue to provide the support and guidance needed to make sure children succeed,” said Jeffco Superintendent, Dr. Cindy Stevenson.

The number of Jeffco students dropping out of school continued to go down for the 2009-10 school year; the district dropout rate is 1.8 percent, a decline from the previous year of .5 percent.

“The efforts of our staff in the office of dropout prevention are having a direct and positive impact on keeping students in school.  They work tirelessly to find students who have dropped out and then counsel them back into the classroom,” said Stevenson.

Jeffco’s on-time graduation rate

                                                                                    2008-09                       2009-10
Neighborhood schools                                                  83.8%                          84.7%

District rate including option and charter schools        78.2%                           78.1%

State of Colorado                                                          70.7%                          72.4%

Jeffco’s dropout rate                                                       2.3%                             1.8%