Washington’s high school seniors graduated in record numbers last spring, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and, in part, because of it.
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction announced the statewide on-time graduation rate reached 82.9 percent for the Class of 2020. That is a 2 percent increase from the previous record in 2019.
The graduation numbers are even more impressive for some Clark County high schools. Henrietta Lacks (98), Skyview (96.2), Mountain View (95.9), Union (95.4), Columbia River (95.3) and Hockinson (95) graduated seniors at a rate of 95 percent or higher, according to OSPI data.
Graduation rates rose, in part, because of relaxed standards put in place once schools closed for in-person instruction in March. To assist students in graduating, the Washington State Board of Education created an emergency credit waiver for those who were on track to graduate on time when the pandemic forced schools to transition to remote learning.
Statewide data shows every student group increased its on-time graduation rate from 2019. The largest gains came from Native American students and English Language Learners, whose rates rose by 8.1 and 6 percentage points, respectively.
“The Class of 2020 completed their senior year in a manner unlike all of the graduating classes before them,” said Chris Reykdal, superintendent of public instruction. “I’m proud of the way our educators, school staff and families came together to support our seniors in reaching the finish line despite the challenges they faced.”
Seven Clark County districts increased their on-time graduation rates in 2020, including four districts — Camas, Evergreen, Hockinson and Ridgefield — at 93 percent or better. Vancouver, the area’s second-largest district and ninth-largest statewide, came in at 89.4 percent.
Battle Ground Public Schools saw a decrease in its on-time graduation rate, falling to 75.2 percent districtwide in 2020. Prairie High School dropped 4.2 percent to a rate of 82.5 percent.
