States record varying high school graduation rates, which also differ significantly across student demographic groups.
The U.S. Department of Education computes an adjusted graduation rate for states by dividing the number of public school students earning a regular diploma by an "adjusted cohort" for the graduating class -- the number of ninth graders four years ago, plus students transferring in, minus those who transferred, emigrated or passed away during the four school years.
Adjusted cohort high school graduation rates were first published for the 2010-11 school year, with the most recent data covering the 2014-2015 school year. Please note that data is unavailable for a few states (see notes below).
While adjusted cohort graduation rates shown are more comparable than previously published rates, the Education Department notes that some states still implement requirements differently, resulting in potential differences in how rates are computed.
Data was not applicable or unavailable for a few states with missing figures. Idaho did not begin to report adjusted cohort graduation rates until the 2013-14 school year.
The state’s headway with graduation rates has not been matched by similar success in measures that track students’ college and career readiness, prompting questions about what it takes to earn a high school diploma.