APS class of 2020 graduation rate show uptick

Shelby Perea, Albuquerque Journal, N.M.
·2 min read

Feb. 27—Officials at Albuquerque Public Schools are celebrating the district's highest graduation rate in over a decade.

Looking at the data without charter schools, the 2020 graduation rate was 76.8% — a 3.1 percentage point increase over the year before. With charters, the most recent graduation rate was 74.6%, up from 70.1% in 2019.

"The district's 2020 graduation rate increased by almost five percentage points in a year and 13 percentage points in six years, going from 61.7% for the class of 2015 to 74.6(%) for the class of 2020," a news release said.

According to APS, 11 of the district's 13 comprehensive high schools had higher graduation rates than the year before and four magnet schools saw a boost in 2020.

Still, African American and Native American students' graduation rates were lower than the districtwide rate at 68.5% and 67.5%, respectively. Students who are considered economically disadvantaged and those in special education were also notably below the districtwide number.

District data also shows improvements in every demographic group. The district emphasized that Native American students had an 11.4 percentage-point uptick and African American students improved by 9.3 percentage points.

Still, African American and Native American students' graduation rates were lower than the districtwide rate, at 68.5% and 67.5%, respectively. Students who are considered economically disadvantaged and those in special education were also notably below the districtwide number.

"When the pandemic closed our schools in March of last year, we didn't give up on our seniors," APS Interim Superintendent Scott Elder said in a statement. "We did just the opposite — taking extra care to make sure our students got the education and support they needed to earn their high school diploma. The hard work paid off. We are very proud of our students, and thankful for the teachers and staff who stood by them."

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors in the 2019-20 school year finished their high school careers with pass or fail grades — rather than A-F — and had modified coursework requirements, district officials previously told the Journal.

But APS did not answer questions about how those changes could have affected graduation rates.

The New Mexico Public Education Department is expected to release statewide graduation data late next week.