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FLORIDA - Florida’s high school graduation rate has reached an unprecedented milestone, demonstrating significant progress in educational outcomes across the state.
According to the Florida Department of Education, the graduation rate for the 2023-2024 academic year climbed to 89.7%, a 1.7 percentage point increase from the previous year and surpassing the pre-pandemic rate of 86.9% in 2018-2019.
This represents the highest rate in Florida history, excluding the 2019-2021 pandemic years when graduation requirements were temporarily eased.
Governor Ron DeSantis attributed the achievement to Florida’s education policies, saying, “Florida leads the nation in education because we put education over indoctrination, empower parents, and have made school choice universal. This record graduation rate is a prime metric of our success, in addition to our #1-in-the-nation rating.”
Key Highlights of Florida’s 2023-2024 Graduation Rate:
- The overall graduation rate rose to 89.7%, marking a 2.4 percentage point increase since the 2021-2022 school year.
- African American students experienced a 2.1 percentage point rise compared to last year and a 3.3 percentage point increase since 2021-2022.
- Hispanic students’ graduation rate climbed by 2.2 percentage points over last year and 3.1 percentage points since 2021-2022.
- Students with disabilities saw an improvement of 1.3 percentage points over the previous year and 3.3 percentage points since 2021-2022.
- Economically disadvantaged students achieved a 2.4 percentage point increase compared to last year and a 3.1 percentage point rise since 2021-2022.
- English Language Learners demonstrated the most significant growth, with a 4.6 percentage point increase over the last year and a 7.7 percentage point improvement since 2021-2022.
Manny Diaz, Jr., Commissioner of the Florida Department of Education, emphasized the importance of these results, stating, “Florida’s graduation rate continues to climb. Florida is number one for education because of our commitment to providing a quality education that fits the needs of each student, and our climbing graduation rate is proof positive that our approach is working. Under the leadership of Governor DeSantis, Florida will continue to lead the nation in educational success.”
Under Governor DeSantis’s administration, Florida’s graduation rate has seen a dramatic rise, moving from 70.6% to a record-breaking 89.7% over the past few years.