Pasadena Unified Graduation Rates Top State Average with No Achievement Gap Among Major Subgroups

Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) students graduated at a higher rate than ever before according to graduation and dropout data released by the California Department of Education (CDE) Monday. 82.3 percent of the class of 2013 received their diploma, an increase of 3.4 percent from the previous year and a jump of 7.1 percent since CDE began tracking cohort graduation and dropout data in 2009-2010. The percentage of students statewide who started high school in 2009-10 and graduated with their class in 2013 was 80.2 percent.

Marking a turning point in the closing of the achievement gap, Pasadena Unified School District Hispanic and White students had the same graduation rate of 81 percent. The graduation rates for African-American students rose to 83.7 percent, a 12 percent increase from 2009-2010.

The district saw the fewest number of students dropping out of high school since CDE began tracking cohort graduation and dropout data in 2009-2010. The percentage of dropouts districtwide fell 3.9 percent to 9.3 percent. Statewide, 11.6 percent of students who started high school in 2009-10 dropped out. The overall reduction in PUSD’s dropout rate from 2009-2010 to 2012-2013 was 6.3 percent. There has been a substantial decrease in the number of dropouts among every subgroup over the last three years, with 5.6 percent fewer Hispanic students, 10.1 percent fewer African-American students and 2.6 percent fewer White students dropping out of high school.

“I am proud of our students for persevering and graduating high school at a higher rate than ever before,” said PUSD Superintendent Jon R. Gundry. “It is an important milestone that there is no discernable difference in the graduation and dropout rates among our largest subgroups. While we still must continue to encourage all of our students to stay in school and get their diploma, it is heartening to see that we are on the right track.”

PUSD’s complete graduation and dropout data for the 2012-2013 school year is attached and can be found at dq.cde.ca.gov. Also attached is a press release from CDE discussing the statewide data.