A new study put out by a Bethesda-based research division of Education Week found the graduation rate in Montgomery County to be the third-highest among the nation’s 50 largest school districts.
In the county, using 2005 data, 82 percent of the students graduated using a newly developed formula designed to include all students. In the past, underclassmen who dropped out of school or transferred out of the district were often lost in the final tally, giving districts a bloated figure.
Using the previous accounting method, the county’s graduation rates were consistently in the low 90s.
As usual, Montgomery County outperformed the state average of 74 percent and the national average of 71 percent. Two large districts – one in Utah and one in Texas – performed better than Montgomery, with 83 percent and 90 percent graduation rates, respectively.
The district was quick to point out, however, that the Utah and Texas systems were both significantly smaller and less diverse than Montgomery County, the 16th-largest district in the nation, with 140,000 students.
“These statistics are further confirmation of the results gained from the Board of Education’s strategic plan, and the residents of our county should feel confident that we are continuing to see the benefits of their investment in all of our children,” said Nancy Navarro, president of the county’s school board.
Navarro’s words underscored dissatisfaction with the County Council’s recent decision to not fully adhere to the the school district’s funding request. The school board goes to the table Tuesday to finalize next year’s cuts, likely to include teachers.
On a statewide level, Maryland performed on par overall with neighboring Virginia, and slightly better when comparing minority populations. Sixty-three percent of Maryland’s Hispanic students graduated, compared with 52 percent in Virginia. Both states saw about 54 percent of their black students graduate.
Graduation rates for the current school year will be released in August.
