New graduation data shows about 80% of Salem seniors earn a diploma
Good morning, Salem.
Graduation rates for local high schools are nearly flat, according to new state data released this morning.
That's been the case since 2019 - numbers reliably show about four in five Salem seniors finish high school in four years (and a larger and growing share graduate within five years). That went up slightly in 2020, when some graduation requirements were suspended due to the pandemic, then fell slightly in the years after.
But the new numbers show some bright spots, including the district's highest graduation rate for Black students in at least a decade. We dove into the numbers and what education leaders said is driving them below.
Here's some of today's news. Read all our latest coverage anytime on our website.
The Salem-Keizer School District hit an 83% graduation rate for Black students in the Class of 2024. It’s the highest in recent district history and earned state acclaim.
Events in Salem this week include a roller derby bout, a Mexican dessert cooking class and the debut of the Pentacle Theatre’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace.”
“A personality and a presence like Peter Michael Coleman Courtney never truly leaves this Earth," Gov. Tina Kotek said at a Wednesday memorial in the Oregon Senate.
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