More students graduate from Oregon high schools

(July 29, 2018) In Oregon, children between the ages of 7 and 18 must attend school. 77% of these children graduate high school in four years, says a recent report. This is an improvement. The number in 2014 was only 72%.

Schools with big improvements say they did simple things. They paid attention to students' credits. They showed students that adults care for them. They found ways for students who fall behind to catch up. The better results happened largely because schools have done a better job helping Latinos and students with special needs to graduate on time.

However, the higher number of graduates is not all good news. The state still did not reach its goal of 78%. Oregon was also lower than the U.S. average. The national average was 84%. Oregon was the third lowest in the nation.

Some high schools in Oregon find making improvements difficult. They serve all types of students in their neighborhoods. Only 2/3 of their students graduate on time. High school dropouts are likely to suffer lifelong problems including trouble finding work and jobs with low wages.