The latest Ohio School report card data shows Dayton Public Schools' graduation rates lag behind every other school district in the Miami Valley. According to a new study by the Ohio Education Policy Institute, those rates are reflective of a larger trend among the state's school districts.
The analysis revealed that school districts with more low-income students had graduation rates 23 percentage points lower than affluent districts.
That’s in line with what this year’s school reportcard data shows about the Miami Valley.
Only 72% of Dayton Public School students graduated in 4 years in 2014. About 9 out of 10 Dayton Public Schools students qualify for free and reduced lunch programs.
“Our rate has increased steadily," said Dayton Public Schools spokesperson Jill Moberley. "So we’re not where we need to be, but our graduation rate has been increasing.”
Dayton’s graduation rate was similar to other Ohio districts with a lot of low income students. Wealthier Beavercreek City Schools had the highest graduation rates in the area, with 96% of students graduating within four years.
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