The percentage of Maryland students receiving a high school diploma in four years remains consistently high, according to data released by the Maryland State Department of Education.
The four-year graduation rate was 86.8% in 2020, according to the data. This is four points better than the 82.8% rate registered a decade ago in 2011, and similar to the 2019 rate of 86.9%, the report said.
The 2020 cohort dropout rate was 8.3%, compared to 8.4% in 2019.
“We are striving to increase graduation rates, while maintaining our high standards which provide optimal career and college readiness for our students,” said Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon.
“It is particularly important as we overcome the challenges of the pandemic that we maintain focus on equity and excellence and ensure all students have every opportunity to succeed and flourish in post-secondary education or professions.”
The percentage of students who graduate in five years remained unchanged from the prior year at 88.9%.
While the graduation and dropout rates for student groups held steady from previous years, there are still some gaps among certain groups of students. There was an improvement with students with disabilities and students who are English language learners. The report showed improved four-year graduation rates and decreased dropout rates since last year.
The report follows a set group of students from freshman through senior year. See the full report on the state education website.
