STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE: 2012-2013 – Section I: Year in Review
STATE OF EDUCATION IN TENNESSEE: 2012-2013 – Section I: Year in Review
Other data released in 2012 showed that Tennessee was one of only two states making double-digit gains in increasing high school graduation rates between 2002 and 2009 – with 13,880 additional graduates in 2009.12 The U.S.
Department of Education released new graduation rate data for all states that look at the number of first-time 9th
graders in each state that graduate with a standard high school diploma within four years. According to these standards, Tennessee students are continuing to perform well compared to their peers nationally. For the 2010-11 school
year, Tennessee had the fourth highest graduation rate overall and has the third highest for economically disadvantaged students. In addition, the gap in graduation rates between black and white students is 11 percentage points,
which is the sixth smallest across all states.13 Tennessee’s overall graduation rate continued to improve, reaching
87.2 percent in 2012. In the last two years, Tennessee began measuring graduation rates of economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and students with limited English proficiency. In 2011, the graduation rates
for those students were 5 to 20 percentage points lower than the state average. In 2012, the graduation rates for
students in those subgroups all increased, but are still below the average. The greatest improvement was seen for
students with disabilities. The graduation rate for that group increased from 67.4 percent to 72.8 percent.
Chart 6: Change in High School Graduation Rate from 2009-2012
“
Today’s economy is international, with
increased competitiveness across the
country and globe. Tennessee has an
obligation to ensure that its students
are able to compete with their peers
both nationally and internationally.
“
Graduation Rate
Percent Graduated
88
87.2
87
86.1
86
85.5
85
Method of calculating
graduation rate changes.
84
83
83.2
82
81
2009
2010
2011
2012
After high school graduation, more students in Tennessee have enrolled in higher education in the last two years
than ever before. In Fall 2011, more than 183,000 students enrolled for the first time in college in the state of Tennessee. Though the data show a small decline in the number of first time degree-seeking students in 2010, 15 percent more students have enrolled in college since before the implementation of higher academic standards in 2009.
Total enrollment of students in public higher education has also increased, with more than 242,000 total students
currently pursuing a degree in the state.14
Tennessee’s commitment to raising academic standards and efforts to expand access to rigorous curricula for all students should help the state continue to increase high school graduation rates, improve ACT scores, and enroll more
students in coursework after high school.
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