Four-year graduation rate increased .8%, returning to prepandemic levels

Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s high school graduation rate climbed nearly a full percentage point, reaching 88.3% for the graduating class of 2024, according to figures released today by the Iowa Department of Education. This marks the first time since 2020 that Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s graduation rate has returned to prepandemic levels.

State data show 88.3% of students in Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s class of 2024 graduated within four years, increasing 0.8 percentage points from 87.5% for the class of 2023 and is the same rate as the class of 2019. A total of 34,158 Iowa students earned their high school diplomas in the class of 2024.

¢â‚¬Å“Nearly 900 more students in the class of 2024 earned their high school diploma, positioning them to succeed in postsecondary education and higher-wage, fulfilling careers, ¢â‚¬ � said Iowa Department of Education Director McKenzie Snow. ¢â‚¬Å“Our data also shows encouraging, significant progress in narrowing graduation rate gaps experienced by students with disabilities and students from low-income backgrounds. Together with educators and families, Iowa will continue to provide all students with what they need to meet high expectations and realize their incredible potential. ¢â‚¬ �

Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s four-year graduation rate experienced by students with disabilities is 70.3%, representing an increase of 2.4 percentage points. The graduation rate for students from low-income backgrounds as determined by eligibility for free or reduced-price school meals is 80.2% which is a 1.5 percentage point increase from the previous year.

Graduation rates for students who are English learners declined slightly from 73.7% the prior year to 73.4% for the graduating class of 2024. The graduation rate for males is 86.7%, 3.2 percentage points lower than the graduation rate for females (89.9%); this gap has decreased since the class of 2022 when it was at 4.5 percentage points. Additionally, four-year graduation rates by racial and ethnic background increased for most student groups, including Black or African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, two or more races, and white.

Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s four-year graduation rate for the class of 2024 is significantly higher than several of its neighboring states; Illinois and South Dakota recently reported 2024 graduation rates below Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s, at 87.7% and 84.0%, respectively. Among neighboring states, only Missouri and Wisconsin reported class of 2024 graduation rates meaningfully above Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s, at 90.8% and 91.1% respectively.

Iowa graduation rates are calculated with a formula established by the U.S. Department of Education. Unique student identification numbers allow school districts to account for all ninth-grade students as they move through high school. At the state level, the method helps determine when a student graduates, even if the student has switched districts during high school.

Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s five-year graduation rate ¢â‚¬â€� which reflects students who were part of a graduating class but took an extra year to finish high school ¢â‚¬â€� was 89.9% for the class of 2023, up slightly from 89.7% for the class of 2022, yet slightly below 90.5% for the class of 2019.

Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s annual dropout rate reflects the percent of students in grades 9-12 who dropped out of school during a single year. The annual dropout rate was 2.59% percent for the 2023-24 school year, showing an improvement from 3.02% in the 2022-23 school year and 2.61% in the 2018-19 school year. The state ¢â‚¬â„¢s 2023-24 dropout rate represents 4,052 students dropping out in grades 9 through 12.

More information on Iowa ¢â‚¬â„¢s graduation rates and dropout rates, including rates by school district and student group, are available on the Department of Education ¢â‚¬â„¢s Graduation Rates and Dropout Rates webpage.