High school grads break new record

According to federal data released today the nation’s high school graduation rose again in the 2014-2015 school year, reaching a new record high as more than 83% of students earned a diploma on time

Experts say that high school graduation rates are an important measure of school success and academic progress and Maryland played a big role in that progress.  Both Maryland and Virginia reported graduation rates above the national average 87%.

Obama also emphasized there was more work to do. He said too many states have cut education funding and many still aren’t working seriously to raise learning standards.

“In too many school districts, we still have schools that despite the heroic efforts of a lot of great teachers are not fully preparing their kids for success,” said President Obama. “Because they don’t have the resources to do it, or the structure to do it.”

The administration reported significant differences in graduation rates among groups. Asian Americans had a 90.2 percent graduation rate, while whites were at 87.6 percent, followed by Hispanics at 77.8 percent, African-Americans at 74.6 percent and Native Americans at 71.6 percent.

The White House said money invested through a grant program called Race to the Top has helped improve some of the nation’s lowest-performing schools. The administration also said millions of students have gained access to high-speed broadband in their classrooms, and that state and federal governments have helped hundreds of thousands more children gain access to preschool programs.