Nation’s High School Graduation Rate Stuck at 71 Percent

The national high school graduation rate for all public school students remained flat over the last decade, going from 72 percent in 1991 to 71 percent in 2001, according to a February 2005 report by the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research.

The evaluation also states that:

• The percentage of all students who left high school with the skills and qualifications necessary to attend college increased from 25 percent in 1991 to 34 percent in 2002.
• Flat high school graduation rates and increasing college readiness rates are likely the result of increased standards and accountability programs over the last decade.

About the Report
Title: Public High School Graduation and College-Readiness Rates (36 pages, 278KB, PDF)
Prepared By: Manhattan Institute for Policy Research
Date Published: February 2005