69传媒

Special Report
College & Workforce Readiness

U.S. Graduation Rate Is 81 Percent Overall, 62 Percent for 69传媒 With Disabilities

May 29, 2015 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

Download Education Week鈥檚 Exclusive U.S. Report

The 10th edition of Education Week鈥榮 annual Diplomas Count 谤别辫辞谤迟鈥鈥攅xamines the experiences of students with disabilities as they make the transition from high school to postsecondary education, the workplace, and adult life. Diplomas Count 2015 analyzes state and national data to sketch a portrait of this population, which comprises about 3 million secondary-school-aged students nationwide. The report examines this group鈥檚 achievement levels, discipline rates, graduation and completion rates, and postsecondary outcomes.

The U.S. is home to 2,713,214 secondary students with disabilities. The majority of these students (81.9 percent) spend at least 40 percent of the day in regular classrooms alongside peers without disabilities.

BRIC ARCHIVE

Despite a trend toward such 鈥渕ainstreaming,鈥 secondary students with disabilities fare differently than their peers both nationwide and within states on a wide range of educational indicators.

For example, students with disabilities are more likely to face disciplinary measures. Nationwide, 18 percent of secondary students in special education programs were suspended in 2011-12 school year, compared with 9 percent of students without disabilities, according to U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights data analyzed by the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at the Civil Rights Project at the University of California-Los Angeles.

From 2006 to 2013, Diplomas Count featured the Education Week Research Center鈥檚 comprehensive original analysis of high school completion using a proprietary method for calculating graduation rates known as the Cumulative Promotion Index. For the second year in a row, the federal data used for the center鈥檚 original analysis was unavailable.

This year, for the first time, Diplomas Count uses as its primary data source the U.S. Department of Education鈥檚 Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR), the method states are required to use for federal accountability purposes.

For the class of 2013, the most recent year available for the federal metric, the nation鈥檚 overall graduation rate reached 81 percent, although students with disabilities lagged 19 percentage points behind.

The national graduation brief contains additional data on graduation trends and student subgroup performance.

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness The Way 69传媒 Offer CTE Classes Is About to Change. Here's How
The revision could lead to significant shifts in the types of jobs schools highlight, and the courses students are able to take.
4 min read
Photo of student working with surveying equipment.
E+
College & Workforce Readiness Even in Academic Classes, 69传媒 Focus on Building 69传媒' Workforce Skills
69传媒 work on meeting academic standards. What happens when they focus on different sets of skills?
11 min read
69传媒 participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker鈥檚 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky. on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
69传媒 participate in reflections after a day of learning in Julia Kromenacker鈥檚 3rd grade classroom at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The Bullitt County district that includes Old Mill Elementary has incorporated a focus on building more general life skills, like collaboration, problem-solving, and communication, that community members and employers consistently say they want from students coming out of high school.
Sam Mallon/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness Preparing for the Workforce Can Start as Early as 1st Grade. What It Looks Like
Preparing students for college and career success starts well before high school鈥攁nd it doesn鈥檛 only involve occupation-specific training.
5 min read
Jenna Bray, a 1st grade teacher at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., helps her student Lucas Joiner on an online learning assignment on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Jenna Bray, a 1st grade teacher at Old Mill Elementary School in Mt. Washington, Ky., helps student Lucas Joiner on an online learning assignment on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024. The Bullitt County district, which includes Old Mill Elementary, has incorporated a focus on equipping students with more general life skills鈥攍ike communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving鈥攖hat employers and community members consistently say they want from students coming out of high school.
Sam Mallon/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness What the Research Says How Well Do Dual-Credit 69传媒 Do in College? A Look in Charts
New data show some students get more access鈥攁nd more leverage鈥攆rom taking postsecondary classes in high school.
3 min read
Illustration of students
Muhamad Chabib alwi/iStock/Getty