Pinellas County Schools Graduation Rate Ranks at Top Of State

January 9, 2020

Pinellas County achieved the highest graduation rate among the state’s 10 largest districts.

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas County Schools is once again celebrating a record-high graduation rate for the 2018-19 school year. According to the official report just released by the Florida Department of Education, the Pinellas County Schools graduation rate rose to 88.44 percent, up 2.44 percentage points from last year’s record high and more than 16.5 percentage points since 2013.

The district achieved the highest graduation rate among the state’s 10 largest districts.

District 2019 Graduation Rate

  • Pinellas 88.4 percent
  • Orange 88.4 percent
  • Pasco 88.3 percent
  • Palm Beach 87.1 percent
  • Duval 86.5 percent
  • Broward 86.2 percent
  • Hillsborough 86.2 percent
  • Miami-Dade 85.6 percent
  • Lee 83.7 percent
  • Polk 81.2 percent

Additionally, the district’s Bridging the Gap plan continues to show results and has helped produce the district’s highest graduation rate among black students and the lowest achievement gap in district history.

• The graduation rate among black students for 2018-19 was 81.3 percent up 5.1 percentage points from the previous year and nearly 25 points since 2013.
• The achievement gap shrank to 8.7 percent from an 11.9 percent gap in 2017-18.
• The achievement gap at the inception of the Bridging the Gap plan six years ago was 18 percent.

This is the first time the gap has been in the single digits.

Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students continue to make gains. Graduation rates among
ESE students spiked by 7.2 percentage points to 79.7 percent, the highest in district history.

“We are extremely proud of the hard work students, teachers and staff put in to achieve these phenomenal results,” said Superintendent Michael Grego. “While we have much to celebrate, we continue to strive to realize the district’s vision of 100 percent student success. We are steadfast in our commitment to provide students the tools they need to fulfill their full potential and prepare them for college, career and life.”

Additional 2018-19 Highlights

• Hispanic students’ graduation rate continues to steadily improve to 86.7 percent up 1.7 percentage points from last year;
• English Learner students achieved an 81.5 percent graduation rate, that’s more than a three-point increase over last year;
• Pinellas outpaced the state by 1.5 percentage points;
• East Lake High School had the highest graduation rate in the district at 99.8 percent;
• Countryside High School showed the greatest improvement in its graduation rate, with an increase of 3.3 percentage points; and
• 14 of 16 traditional high schools increased their graduation rates in 2018-19.

Graduation Rate By School 2018 And 2019

  • Boca Ciega High School 91.9, 94.7
  • Largo High School 90.9, 93.4
  • Clearwater High School 95.6, 96.2
  • Northeast High School 92.1, 94.8
  • Countryside High School 91.0, 94.3
  • Osceola Fundamental High School 98.3, 98.6
  • Dixie Hollins High School 92.7, 94.2
  • Palm Harbor University High School 98.5, 99.2
  • Dunedin High School 93.6, 96
  • Pinellas Park High School 93.3, 92.3
  • East Lake High School 99.6, 99.8
  • Seminole High School 93.7, 95.9
  • Gibbs High School 91.3, 88.5
  • St. Petersburg High School 94.2, 96.1
  • Lakewood High School 95.2, 96.1
  • Tarpon Springs High School 94.1, 96

SOURCE: patch.com

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