The Louisiana Department of Education announced graduation outcomes for the Class of 2018 today and Jefferson Parish Schools’ graduation rate improved by 1.6%. The district’s 2018 cohort graduation rate is 73.4. That’s a jump from 71.8% the previous year.
“This is an increase worth celebrating, as it means more students earned their high school diploma than in previous years,” said JP Schools Superintendent Dr. Cade Brumley. “It also solidifies the need to continue pushing for better outcomes for all students.”
Last spring and summer, the district launched a coordinated effort to identify each senior’s status towards graduation. School and district leaders also analyzed data to locate students at risk of not graduating and worked alongside those families to help students succeed.
“We don’t want any of our kids to lose out,” said JP Schools Chief of Schools Dr. James Gray. “The more education someone gets, the better off they will be in life. It’s important that we always go the extra mile to prepare our students for life after high school.”
The district also saw an increase in the percentage of students earning advanced credentials from 8.5% to 12.9%. However, the overall percentage of students graduating with credentials fell by 3.7%. The district is enhancing its partnerships with local businesses, industry leaders, and universities to improve the number of students who graduate from high school with college credits and industry-based credentials.
The highest school graduation rates in the district belonged to Patrick F. Taylor Academy (100%), Thomas Jefferson High (100%), Haynes Academy (98.9%), Fisher Middle-High (87.5%), Riverdale High (86.4%), Helen Cox High (82%), and John Ehret High (81.6%).
The district’s strategic plan, 2024: The Future Our Kids Deserve, sets the goal of a 90% graduation rate by 2024. One of the four capstones in the plan is that all students graduate high school and are prepared socially, emotionally, academically, and financially for a career or college.
Jefferson Parish Schools is the largest and most diverse public school system in Louisiana and the 98th largest in the nation. Our system of 85 schools serves around 50,000 students on both sides of the Mississippi River. With approximately 7,000 employees, JP Schools is one of the largest employers in Jefferson Parish. Our district exists to provide the education our students deserve to succeed in life and make our world a better place.