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Colorado’s class of 2024 had a higher graduation rate and a lower dropout rate than the previous class — a trajectory that the state education commissioner called “promising progress.”
Statewide, 84.2% of students graduated in 2024 within four years of starting high school, according to data released Wednesday by the Colorado Department of Education. That’s 1.1 percentage points higher than in 2023 and 3.1 percentage points higher than in 2019, before the pandemic.
The statewide dropout rate fell to 1.9% in 2023-24, from 2.1% in 2022-23. However, the dropout rate remained slightly higher than the state’s historical low of 1.8% in 2019-20.
Students in the class of 2024 were in eighth grade when the pandemic shuttered school buildings in 2020. Most of them missed out on a typical start to high school due to remote learning.
“I am encouraged by the momentum of our state’s multiyear improvements, especially in the gaps that are closing, and we also must do more to keep students engaged in meaningful learning experiences that prepare them for success after graduation,” state Education Commissioner Susana Córdova said in a statement.
The gaps refer to the differences in graduation and dropout rates based on characteristics such as students’ race, disability status, and whether they are multilingual learners, which means they are learning English as a second language.
In 2024, about 89% of white students graduated within four years. The four-year graduation rate for Black students was about 78%, and the rate for Hispanic students was about 77%.
White and Hispanic students posted higher graduation rates in 2024 than in 2023, but the gap between them remained the same. The graduation rate for Black students fell 0.3 percentage points from 78.6% to 78.3%, widening the gap between Black and white students.
The graduation rates of multilingual learners, students with disabilities, students experiencing homelessness, and students in the foster care system improved from 2023 to 2024, though the rates for those student groups remained below the statewide rate.
At a press conference Wednesday, state education officials highlighted two school districts — Greeley-Evans and Ignacio — for significantly improving their graduation rates. Ignacio’s four-year graduation rate jumped more than 11 percentage points from the previous year to 87.3% in 2024.
Ignacio Superintendent Chris deKay said partnerships, including with the Southern Ute tribe, are important for his small rural district in southwestern Colorado. About a third of Ignacio’s 650 students are Native American, he said.
“When we developed our mission statement, we started with this word: Together,” deKay said.
Greeley-Evans leaders cited a focus on ensuring ninth graders stay on track academically, which puts them on a solid trajectory toward graduation. The district has also increased the number of activities, such as band and theater, that it offers to keep students engaged, and boosted its career and technical programs so students can see the real-world value of their education, leaders said.
“Something I often say here in District 6 is that we are educating our children out of poverty,” Greeley-Evans Superintendent Deirdre Pilch said, “and that is what we do when we ensure children are college and career ready and graduate on time.”
State officials also spotlighted the small metro-area Englewood district for decreasing its dropout rate by 2 percentage points. Englewood leaders credited the work of the district’s alternative school, Colorado’s Finest High School of Choice, which serves students from Englewood and surrounding districts.
Among the 10 Colorado school districts with the highest percentages of students of color and more than 1,000 students, seven posted higher graduation rates in 2024 than in 2023. The Adams 14 district saw the biggest increase, from about 69% of students graduating within four years in 2023 to about 76% in 2024.
Denver Public Schools’ four-year graduation rate grew from 79% to 79.9%. Graduation rates in the Mapleton, Sheridan, Harrison, Pueblo City 60, and East Otero districts also rose.
Aurora Public Schools, Westminster Public Schools, and Weld Re-8 had lower graduation rates. Aurora’s four-year rate dropped from 74.9% in 2023 to 73.4% in 2024.
Look up your district or school’s four-year graduation rate below.
Melanie Asmar is the bureau chief for Chalkbeat Colorado. Contact Melanie at masmar@chalkbeat.org.
