This week Dallas ISD reported more progress in raising graduation rates. Early results show 77% of DISD students in the Class of 2011 earned their diplomas in four years. I asked district officials for a breakdown by high school, which they provided. You can see results on a map (above) and chart (below).
A few high schools showed huge gains in just the past year or two. Madison’s grad rate soared from 67% for the Class of 2009 to nearly 94% for the Class of 2011. Roosevelt’s rate jumped from 58% to 82% over the same period. South Oak Cliff made a remarkable one-year gain, from 67% for the Class of 2010 to 79% of the Class of 2011.
District leaders say the gains reflect honest work. But some DMN readers find the rates “a bit sketchy” and say the state needs to verify the self-reported numbers. What’s your take? I’d especially like to hear from teachers, principals, parents or students from schools with big gains. What specific steps have these schools taken? And why do other schools have more mixed results? Take Bryan Adams, where the grad rate rose from 60% in 2010 to 74% in 2011, then slipped back to 70% in 2011.