HCPSS Graduation Rate Exceeds State Average

Ellicott City MD

26 February, 2021

12:05 PM

Description

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The percentage of Howard County Public School System students who receive high school diplomas continues to rise and outpace statewide results. According to data recently released by the Maryland State Department of Education, at 93.4 percent, the graduation rate for the HCPSS class of 2020 exceeded the Maryland average of 86.8 percent and is up from 92.8 percent for 2019 and from 92 percent in 2018. Howard County's rate remains the highest among the six Maryland school systems having enrollment of more than 50,000 students. The statistics reflect data for the cohort of students graduating within four years after entering high school. HCPSS dropout patterns echo the graduation rate trends. At 3.6 percent, the dropout rate for the class of 2020 shows a significant improvement compared to 4.5 percent in 2019 and 4.8 percent in 2018. The HCPSS dropout rate is well below the state average of 8.3 percent and compares favorably to other large Maryland school systems. "Our focus on equity to give all students the supports they need to be successful is driven by the goal to ensure all students are college and career ready, and the graduation rate is a key performance indicator," HCPSS Superintendent Michael J. Martirano said. "The improvements in graduation rates among several student groups that have been most impacted by achievement gaps are encouraging, and reinforce the importance of initiatives around attendance, access, achievement and acceptance, which are closely associated with student achievement. As we recover from the pandemic, we must amplify our support for students who have been most acutely impacted, and we are preparing a robust summer learning program to provide learning recovery and acceleration."