Oregon graduation rates are clawing their way back to pre-pandemic levels, according to data for the class of 2024 released Thursday.
Disappointing National Assessment of Educational Progress data released this week, though, highlight the challenge of picking measures to assess Oregon’s public education effectiveness.
The Oregon Department of Education reported 81.8% of the 2024 cohort graduated, a half percentage point improvement on the previous year. Most student groups’ graduation rates improved, but Oregon is still shy of its record 82.6% statewide rate in the abbreviated 2019-20 school year before COVID-19 closed schools down.
The 2023-24 class were mostly learning online their freshman year because of the pandemic. According to ODE, only 73.6% of them were on track to graduate at the end of that difficult school year.
The pandemic knocked back graduation rates 2 percentage points in 2020-21, and students have been struggling to recover since. This year’s report had some bright spots.
Graduation rates for English language learners (87.8%), migrant students (82.7%), American Indian/Alaska Native students (70.1%), students experiencing poverty (69.2%), special education students (68.8%), students experiencing houselessness (61.3%) and students in foster care (51%) all reached record highs, although some are recently measured categories.
Career and technical education programs that schools have bolstered with High School Success and Student Success Act funds are another bright spot. According to ODE, 97.7% of students who completed at least two CTE credits graduated.
Before the pandemic, Oregon had one of the lowest state graduation rates, although it also has among the highest graduation standards, requiring 24 credits to graduate.
The national average graduation rate was 87% in 2021-22, the most recent year tabulated by the National Center for Education Statistics. Oregon’s rate was 81% that year.
National Assessment of Education Progress tests showed the nation is struggling with an academic decline since the pandemic. “The Nation’s Report Card” measures a representative sample of students in math and reading in fourth and eighth grade every two years.
In 2024, national math grades rose slightly in fourth grade and fell in eighth grade. In reading, scores fell in both grades. All four were significantly lower than in 2019.
Oregon had similar results. Oregon’s scores fell in all but fourth grade math, and Oregon scored below the national average in all four areas.
– Jake Arnold, OSBA
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