More California teens stuck it out, got diplomas in 2015

As graduation gowns were being pulled from their wrappings this week, California unveiled the numbers receiving diplomas last year. For this region, where raising high school graduation rates has become a clarion call, the news is good.

Area counties beat state averages. Calaveras County posted the highest rate in the state, with 94 percent of the Class of 2015 graduating in four years. Mariposa County came in second with 92 percent. Tuolumne (89), Merced (87), Stanislaus (85) and San Joaquin (82) counties follow down the list. County averages include students who attended alternative education settings and tend to graduate in lower numbers.

California’s statewide graduation rate rose to 82.3 percent, a 1.3 percent rise from the year before and the sixth year of steady improvement. The largest increases were seen for English learners and migrant students, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson in announcing the numbers.

“This is encouraging news any way you look at it, especially since the increase is occurring as we are introducing much more rigorous academic standards,” Torlakson said.

Orestimba High in Newman had all 165 of its senior class graduate, a 100 percent graduation rate. Newman-Crows Landing Superintendent Randy Fillpot said the high school has after-school tutors and peer tutoring, and offers online second-chance courses if a student fails a class. The district checked out computers to all its high school students in January, he added, making the make-up courses available 24-7.

Hilmar High in Hilmar graduated 151 out of 153 who began high school four years earlier, a 99 percent grad rate. Also at 99 percent, Bret Harte Union High School in Angels Camp helped lead Calaveras County upward.

A number of schools hit 98 percent: Sonora, Dos Palos, Ripon, Gustine, Oakdale, Hughson and Calaveras High in San Andreas.

Gregori in the Salida area topped the Modesto schools with 97 percent of its Class of 2016 able to walk the stage Tuesday. Modesto City Schools overall posted an 87 percent graduation rate, up 3 percent since 2014.

“Despite all the changes in education over the last five years, our staff has done amazing work with our students, and we are ecstatic with our graduation rates,” said Superintendent Pam Able. “While we are celebrating these results, we want all of our students to walk the stage and will continue to work towards that end.”

The rise for 2015 is the fifth straight year of increases since 2010, when the overall rate stood at stood at 75 percent, meaning 1 in 4 students dropped out. This year, all of the district’s ethnic groups bested that mark, with the lowest, the African American graduation rate, hitting 78 percent, a 6 percentage point rise since 2014.

Statewide, the rate of English learners graduating went up 4 percentage points and the rate for African Americans went up 2.6 percentage points to 70.8 percent.

“I am also pleased to see the first signs of the narrowing of the pernicious and persistent achievement gap,” Torlakson said. “But a lot of work remains, and our schools still need additional and stable resources.”

Over the last five years, Modesto’s white and African American students have both raised their graduation rates by 10 percent, while Latinos and low-income students rose further, moving up 14 percent.

But the gap, nearly 12 percentage points, between Modesto’s white and African American students has not budged since 2010. Modesto’s historically low rates of graduating black students brought community advocates out in force this school year. Community members pressed the district to fund more services and opportunities for its black teens, as well as hire and promote more teachers and leaders of color.

The Merced Union High School District, by contrast, has nearly eliminated racial gaps in graduation rates. The district’s overall graduation rate (90 percent) slipped a fraction since 2014, but has stayed at or above 90 percent for four years.

In 2015, 91 percent of white students graduated on time, as did 89 percent of Latinos and 88 percent of African American students. Asian students were the exception, graduating at 95 percent.

“There are a number of factors that drive our success, with the first being a committed staff who is involved in the life of our high schools. This factor drives student involvement,” said MUHSD Superintendent Alan Peterson.

“All of our campuses strive for 90 percent or more of students being involved in at least one or more school activity,” Peterson said via email Friday. “We track this data and ask that principals focus on this each year. When staff and students are involved in the life of their campus, students achieve at higher levels.”

The high-school-only district works with its elementary feeder districts to identify graduating eighth-graders who need extra help and focuses on catching problems early, Peterson said.

The district has focused new state money directed to help English learners and low-income students on support and opportunity, he said.

“On the support side, we have added extensive resources including social/emotional counselors at each campus along with full-time health professionals. We have increased staffing for college and financial aid counseling, and have also added staff to our food services department. We focus on the ‘whole student.’

“As for opportunity, we are increasing career technical education offerings and staffing in order to give students more opportunities to explore relevant post-secondary career pathways.”

Across the state, the better graduation news means 2,900 more students received their high school diplomas last year than the year before, notes the California Department of Education. The state has been able to track students through four years only since 2010.

In Stanislaus County, long-term efforts involving businesses, nonprofit groups and schools have ramped up to raise graduation rates.

Under the umbrella organization Stanislaus Reads, the groups are working to increase attendance and promote summer camps and classes. The third focus is on school readiness, aimed at educating families to interact and read more with babies, measuring incoming kindergartners’ reading level and raising money to send free books to low-income homes.

This story was originally published May 22, 2016 at 6:59 PM with the headline "More California teens stuck it out, got diplomas in 2015."