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Maine Children's Alliance

High School graduation rates by priority populations

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Why This Indicator Matters

All youth deserve to have access to a quality education. Students are low income, have disabilities or are learning English have additional barriers to graduation.  Students who graduate from high school have higher wages, lower unemployment and are less likely to need public assistance than those who do not graduate. Their long-term physical and mental health is also better if they graduate from high school.

What the data shows
In 2016, the most recent year with comparable data, Maine had graduation rates above the national average for both English language learners and for students with disabilities. For low income students the rates in Maine were about the same as national rates at 78%.

The trend in Maine over 3 years for low income students and for English language learners is a positive one with more students graduating in 4 years each year.  For students with disabilities and in special education classes, the rate of 72.5% is unchanged from the previous year and below the rates for low income and for English Language Learners.  Students who are homeless or in foster care have even lower rates, below 60%. IN 2017, students from migrant families had a 100% rate of graduating in 4 years, exceeding all groups including the rate for students in higher income families.
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Definitions: The percent of youth who graduate in 4 years from public schools and 60% publicly funded private schools.  Maine Department of education reports on graduation rates since 2015 on: 1) Low income students, 2) English Learners, and 3) Students with Disabilities.
For 2017, Maine also has graduation rate data on students who are homeless, in foster care, or in migrant families or military families. Each of these groups is a priority population.

Data Source: Maine Department of Education State Graduation Rates
For national statistics, see Ed Week Grad Rates By State 2015-2016

Footnotes: Examines a cohort of ninth graders and whether they graduated within 4 years. The year represents the end of school year, so 2017 is the school year September 2016 to June 2017.

Updated August 2018.