Chancellor David C. Banks announced that the New York City high school class of 2021 achieved an 81.2% graduation rate, up 2.4% from last year.
During the announcement Feb. 16, the chancellor revealed that the dropout rate had also fallen to 4.8%, a 1% drop from the previous school year. Under mayoral accountability and with Mayor Adams in office, the citywide graduation rate has increased by more than 20 percentage points. The Adams administration remains committed to continuing to drive up that increase by utilizing a plan of scaling, sustaining and restoring working strategies.
“New York City students have proved their resilience and determination throughout this pandemic, and these graduation rates underscore the importance of providing all our young people with the supports they need to achieve a bold future,” said Banks. “While there is more work to do to ensure every child has the opportunities to graduate, attend college and start their career, we’re proud of our graduates, families and educators for their outstanding accomplishments.”
Across all five boroughs, dropout and graduation rates improved, but the greatest improvement occurred in the Bronx. Citywide students of all races and ethnicities performed better specifically among Asian, Black and Latinx students. Graduation rates were around 91.0 percent for Asian students up 1.5 points since 2020, 78.5 percent for Black students up 2.7 points since 2020, 78.2 percent for Hispanic students up 4.1 points since 2020 and 81.8 percent for White students down 2.1 points since 2020.
The graduation rate for Ever English language learners ( students who had been classified as ELLs and exited ELL status any year prior to school year of their last enrollment) increased by 0.4% from last school year and students with disabilities also saw high graduation rates – with about a 58% rate, an 5% increase from 2020.
The Department of Education (DOE) stressed the importance of continuing this winning stride, preparing students for success with the support of learning experiences and tools needed to get ready for their futures – whether that be college or career opportunities.
By keeping students on track educationally, the DOE hopes to continue to prepare a whole new generation of capable young adults for futures that will benefit their lives as well as their individual communities.
More information about New York City’s graduation and dropout rates can be found online.
