Schools

Fairfax Snags Top Graduation Rate Spot from Montgomery

Montgomery County Public Schools did not graduate the highest percentage of high school students in 2010—the first time in four years.

For the first time in four years, Montgomery County Public Schools did not rank No. 1 in high school graduation rates among the largest school districts in the nation.

Instead, we're No. 2, tied with Baltimore County Public Schools with an 84 percent graduation rate, according to an annual ranking by Education Week's Diplomas Count.

"It is disappointing that we are not first on this list, but we are pleased to be among the nation’s highest performing large districts and I am confident our graduation rate is headed in the right direction," Montgomery County schools Superintendent Joshua Starr said in a statement.

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The top spot went to Fairfax County Public Schools, the 12th largest school district in the nation, with a graduation rate of 85 percent for the class of 2010, the most recent data available to Education Week. 

Last year, using data from the class of 2009, Montgomery County, the 16th largest school district, was first with an 87.6 percent graduation rate. Fairfax County and Jefferson County, CO, were tied in second with 85.5 percent of students graduating, followed by Baltimore County and Broward County, FL tied for third, Patch reported.

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"The results of this year’s Diplomas Count report are another indicator of our ongoing commitment to provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to be successful," Starr said. "While MCPS is doing better than most of our peer districts, we know there is work left to be done to make sure every student graduates on time and is ready for college and the work place."

Diplomas Count ranks the nation’s 50 largest school districts using the most recent numbers from the National Center for Education Statistics. A statement from MCPS said that the index used to calculate Diplomas Count graduation rates is "significantly different" than the calculation used by the state of Maryland. In 2010, the state put MCPS’s graduation rate at 86.15 percent.


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