Graduation rates in Churchill County increased almost 15 percent for the class of 2017.
Preliminary four-year graduation rate data posted Monday on NevadaReportCard.com indicates Nevada high schools are on track to set a graduation rate record of 80.55 percent for the Class of 2017 – an increase of 7 percentage points.
“While these graduation rates won’t be official until December, this is great news and the strongest indicator yet that Nevada is the fastest improving state in the nation,” said Dr. Steve Canavero, superintendent of Public Instruction. “Completing high school and ensuring our students are on college and career pathways are essential for Nevada’s future economic viability.”
Six rural districts including Churchill County showed double-digit increases. The Churchill County School District graduated 74.35 percent, an increase of 14.55 points. Pershing County graduated 100 percent, an increase of 16.67 points.
Other rural school districts showing increases are Mineral, Humboldt, Lander and Lincoln counties.
Nevada’s two largest school districts both outpaced the rest of the state with healthy gains. Clark County School District graduated 82.71 percent, an increase of 7.83 points, while Washoe County School District graduated 83.79 percent, an increase of 7.15 points
For the last three years, the Nevada Department of Education has announced the statewide and the districts’ preliminary graduation rates around the middle of October. Official graduation rates will be calculated by the Department, after a thorough review of the student level data that is validated and confirmed by the school districts. Official figures will be released in December, along with a school-by-school breakdown and an analysis of demographic subgroups.
This is the seventh year Nevada has calculated the graduation rate using the adjusted cohort rate, which is required by the U.S. Department of Education. The four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate defines the cohort based on when a student enters the ninth grade; it is calculated using the number of students who graduate within four years and includes adjustments for transfer out students. While all states are calculating the graduation rate using the same formula, each state still sets its own requirements for students to earn a diploma.