WASHINGTON, D.C. – The nation’s high school graduation rate reached an all-time high of 85.8% in 2018-19, the final school year unaffected by the upheavals of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 23, 2021)—The U.S. Department of Education released data today showing the high school graduation rate for the class of 2019 has reached a record high of 85.8%. These new figures show an increase from the previous year’s rate of 85.3% and indicate continued progress toward equity across the country, as rates for students from historically disadvantaged communities increased by more than the national average.

WASHINGTON, D.C – New data show that pre-COVID-19, the nation’s high school graduation rate was at an all-time high—driven by substantial gains over the past decade among low-income, Black, and Hispanic students as well as students with disabilities. These, however, are among the very populations most affected by COVID-19, its disruptions to schooling, and the nation’s on-going struggles with systematic racism.

The ‘Building a Grad Nation’ Report’s First-Ever Secondary School Improvement Index Shows More Than Two Thirds of States Have Increased Graduation Rates and Other Measures Of Academic Achievement, Mitigating Concerns Around Diminished Graduation Standards

Today, America’s Promise Alliance announced plans to advance the national conversation about How Learning Happens and highlight the importance of fostering young people’s development and well-being.