Of the 153,523 ninth graders who started high school in 2000-01, those not reaching graduation four years later (2003-04) totaled 33,349 or 21.7 percent - more than one in five students. Nationally, only 71 percent of ninth graders graduate four years later (National Education Summit on High Schools, NGA and Achieve, Inc., 2005).

While it wouldn't surprise anyone that the graduation gap is wide in urban districts, it is clear also that this is a statewide issue. One in eight suburban ninth graders and one in six rural ninth graders in 2000-01 did not graduate from high school in the same district four years later. For example, if a ninth grade homeroom in a rural district has 24 students, just 20 students from that classroom will graduate four years later. In a suburban homeroom of 24 students, only 21 will graduate from high school in the same district four years later.

Press Release
One Out of Five Pennsylvania High School Students Fails to Graduate Every Year:
HTML Format | PDF Format

Graduation Gap Data
Please view the following tables: