According to the First Look report from the National Center for Education Statistics, the national high school graduation rate hit 79 percent for the class of 2011 and 80 percent for the class of 2012. Texas’ overall graduation rate for both classes easily exceeded the national averages.
In a study released the week of April 29 by the U.S. Department of Education, Texas, with a graduation rate of 88 percent, tied for second place with Nebraska, Vermont and Wisconsin.
In addition, the Texas Class of 2012 had the highest graduation rate in the country among African-American students and tied for the highest graduation rates for white and economically disadvantaged students.
For the class of 2012, Texas’ graduation rates in almost every key demographic ranked either first, second, or third compared to other states.
| Class of 2012 | TEXAS | RANK | UNITED STATES |
| All Students | 88% | 2nd (tie) | 80% |
| White | 93% | 1st (tie) | 86% |
| Hispanic | 84% | 2nd | 73% |
| African-American | 84% | 1st | 69% |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 85% | 1st (tie) | 72% |
| Students with Disabilities | 77% | 3rd (tie) | 61% |
To review the complete First Look report, visit http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2014/2014391.pdf.
