Pasadena Unified: Graduation Rates Held Steady in 2015-16 School Year

While not achieving the the peak rates of 2013, Pasadena Unified School District graduation rates for 2015-16 held steady at just over 80 percent, according to a presentation to the Pasadena Board of Education by Dr. Shawn Bird, Pasadena Unified’s Chief Academic Officer. Bird also introduced new graduation requirements, to be instituted in 2019.

The 82.5 percent graduation rate is also above the high 70s percent rate of 2011-2012, which was the lowest mark over the last five years.

Marshall Fundamental School had a graduation rate among seniors of 99.1 percent, the highest in the district.

With the rates divided among subgroups, White and African American students achieved district-wide graduation rates in the low 80s, while Asians climbed upward a few percentage points from 2013-14 rates. Special Education and English Learner students achieved a graduation rate of just under 60 percent, while Hispanic students achieved a graduation rate in the high 70s for the 2014-2015 school year, a small decrease from 2013-2014.

District-wide, 1,072 students earned a high school diploma in 2015-2016, ranging from 437 at Pasadena High to 105 at Blair High School. Specialized schools Rose City and CIS Academy graduated 55 and 76 students, respectively.

A-G (basic academic courses) completion rates were relatively low among all schools, with John Muir and Marshall scoring the highest, at just below 70 percent. Hispanics, who comprise the largest group of students in the district, scored in the low 40s.

The district dropout rate also fell to just below ten percent district-wide, according to the report. The highest dropout rates continued to be among Special Education and English Learner students.

Marshall Fundamental and Pasadena High also achieved the highest percentage of post-secondary enrollment, with 69 percent of each school’s graduating seniors enrolled in post-secondary classes.

Along with the 220 High School Requirement Credits, the new 2019 graduation requirements will now include five credits of CTE work, along with five credits of health. Students will also be required to complete a graduate portfolio, which would include a six-eight page research paper, along with “student work that showcases creative/innovative solutions, precesses and/or actual product,” and a three-five page “reflection paper.”

Students will also be required to complete 40 hours of volunteer hours, which may include job shadows, internships and/or community service.