A young woman wearing a graduation cap and gown, photographed from behind, looks on at an out-of-focus crowd of fellow graduate students April 18, 2018 — Photography by MD Duran

Overall graduation rates amongst Alaska high school students have risen more than eight percent in the past five years while the number of drop-outs decreases, according to data published by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, in June.

Despite the increase, Alaska ranks 47th place in the United States for high school graduation rate[?]graduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011. at 81%, where the average rate varies from 74%–94%. The highest graduation rates were reported in Iowa, Kentucky, and Texas at 94%, followed by Connecticut, Massachusetts, North Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Virginia at 93%. Four states and D.C. ranked below Alaska: Vermont (81%), New Mexico (78%), the District of Columbia (77%), and Arizona (74%). It’s worth noting that each state has its own requirements for high school completion. Alaska high school students must earn at least 21 credits to graduate, including a half-credit in Alaska history.

Hover your mouse over the map below for state-specific data, or if you are on mobile tap a state to see details.

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw the lowest number of graduating high school students in Alaska since the late 1980s—but the graduation rategraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011. only dropped by one percentage point over the previous year (see chart below). That number increased to 84% in 2021, 5% higher than it was in 2019.

The numbers can be a little deceiving as Alaska is big and populations are spread out. There are a lot of rural communities. The Iditarod Area School district, for example, is made up of a huge physical area on the map but there are only eight public schools serving 325 students. In what could have been a 2021 graduating class of 11, only three made it to graduation, giving the district a 27% graduation rategraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011.. That’s not great, and there are a handful of similar examples throughout Alaska that impact the statewide graduation rategraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011.. Some of the least populated areas of Alaska tend to have some of the lowest graduation ratesgraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011..

Anchorage School District achieved an 84% graduation rategraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011. in 2021, which is huge strides away from a 2005 low of 59% that inspired a community collaboration setting a bold goal of 90% by 2020.

Still, in 2021, the total number of cohort students[?]cohort studentsa cohort graduation year is assigned to each ninth-grade student. The expectation of the adjusted cohort graduation rate is that the student will graduate within four years. For example, a student who entered ninth grade in the 2020-2021 school year would be considered part of the 2023-2024 graduation cohort group. from Alaska high schools is lower than it’s been prior to 2015—excluding 2020.

The number of high school drop-outs in 2021 was 300 students lower than it was six years, ago after being expectedly low in 2020 when COVID was impacting students and the education system.

There are 281 high schools in Alaska with 71,659 students currently enrolled according to the Alaska Department of Education & Early Development. The interactive maps below break down the graduation rategraduation rateThe graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011. by the 52 districts in Alaska for last year. Hover your mouse over each district to view the details for each, or if you are on mobile tap a district below.

Graduates are defined as a student who received a regular diploma from a state or district-approved education program and does not include a student who receives a certificate of achievement or a GED.

The graduation rate reflects a federal mandate requiring states to use a uniform graduation rate, the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate. First implemented in Alaska in 2010, all 50 states were required to utilize the adjusted cohort graduation rate for accountability purposes starting in 2011.

Under this methodology, a cohort graduation year is assigned to each ninth-grade student. The expectation of the adjusted cohort graduation rate is that the student will graduate within four years. For example, a student who entered ninth grade in the 2020-2021 school year would be considered part of the 2023-2024 graduation cohort group.

Graduation rates and dropout rates can cause confusion as dropout rates are event rates; meaning they are calculated across a single year while the graduation rates are measures of cohort groups across four years. Dropout rates are calculated by dividing the total number of students in grades 7–12 dropping out of public school by the October enrollment count for all students in grades 7–12. Graduation rates and dropout rates are calculated independently and are not the inverse of each other.

A student is not considered a dropout if transferring to an approved education program, a public or private school, suspensions, illnesses, medical conditions; or death. A student in pursuit of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate is considered a dropout, as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics.

People drop out of high school for a variety of reasons. According to the National Dropout Prevention Center, most high school students who dropped out reported missing too many school days or somehow falling a little behind and couldn’t imagine catching up, so they gave up. Many also said they thought it would be easier to get a general education diploma and many reported they were getting poor grades or failing school. Family-related reasons are also commonly cited, including having to take care of or support a family member, becoming pregnant and getting married.

Students whose families struggle financially are more likely to drop out of school and the impact of household income on education has been even more pronounced since the COVID-19 pandemic. In some cases older students may have had to take a job to make up for one lost by a family member or step up to help with child care.

Adding to all of those distractions, the pandemic also created an environment of classroom closures and remote learning that have had the biggest negative impact on students from underserved communities or rural communities that are more likely to have unreliable internet access.

While it may be difficult for individuals to control many of the factors that contribute to students dropping out of high school, experts suggest that parents can contribute to student success the most by simply staying involved in education.

Have you or someone you know dropped out of high school? Let me know about your experience as to why students are dropping out of Alaska high schools at a much higher rate than most of the rest of the country. Leave a comment below and share your point of view or drop me a message.

NOTES: This article was written for JPC A210 – Infographics, Data Visualization and Strategy.

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