La Jolla High’s Graduation Rate Hits 98.9 Percent, Dropout Rate 0.5 Percent

La Jolla High School graduation rate exceeded the statewide and county rate last year, with 98.9 percent of the class of 2012 earning a diploma, according to figures released Tuesday by the state’s superintendent’s office.

Statewide, the graduation rate was 78.5 percent, and across San Diego County the rate was almost identical at 78.4 percent.

La Jolla High’s 0.5 percent dropout rate in 2011-2012 was a fraction of the state’s 13.2 percent. All high schools in the county had a dropout rate of 10.4 percent.

The dropout rates for La Jolla High’s class of 2012 held steady from the previous year, but graduation rate increased by 1.4 percent.

In the San Diego Unified School District, which La Jolla is a part of, grad rates increase for the third straight year.

San Diego Unified School District had 86.9 percent of its students graduate in 2012, an increase of 1.6 percent over 2011 and 4.7 from 2010, according to data released April 9 by the California Department of Education. San Diego Unified leads the San Diego County average by 8.4 percentage points.

"This continued improvement means that our district, and most importantly
our students, are on the right path," said SDUSD Superintendent Bill Kowba in a statement. "To have a nearly five percent jump in just three years shows the outstanding work done every day by everyone in the San Diego Unified School District."

Statewide, graduation rates rose while dropout rates declined.

The 78.5 percent of students who started high school in 2008-2009 graduated last year. That was up 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

Among African-American students, 65.7 percent graduated with their class in 2012, up 2.9 points from the year before. Among Hispanic students, 73.2 percent graduated in 2012, up 1.8 points from the year before.

There was a corresponding drop in the state’s dropout rate.

The superintendent’s office reported 13.2 percent of students who began high school in 2008-2009 dropped out. That was down 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

The dropout rate among African-American students dropped 3.1 points to 22.2 percent. Among Hispanic students, the dropout rate fell 2.1 points to 16.2 percent.

Another 8.3 percent of students were labeled as neither dropouts nor graduates.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said while the trend is positive, California schools still need to do more. He said he’d like to see the graduation rate top 80 percent in the near future and then reach 90 percent by 2020.

He commended local school officials for improving education despite budget cuts the past few years and the fact that California is 49th in the nation in education funding.

“As I travel up and down the state, I see great things happening in California schools every day,” said Torlakson.