Indiana high school graduation rate up from last year, waiver usage down

Indiana’s high school graduation rate has improved by a little over two percentage points from last year’s rate while also seeing statewide rates for most student subgroups increase.

This year’s statewide graduation rate increased to 88.98%, up from 86.52% in 2022, the Indiana Department of Education announced on Friday.

This year’s rate marks the second-highest graduation rate on record for Indiana since the state began collecting this data in 2012, IDOE said in a press release.

The 2023 graduation rate has also surpassed pre-COVID levels reached in 2019 at 87.29%. Graduation rates saw slight declines in 2021 and 2022.

The state’s non-waiver graduation rate – the number of students who complete all their diploma requirements without needing a waiver – also improved from last year going from 80.58% in 2022 to 84.92% in 2023.

For a student to qualify for a graduation waiver they must be unsuccessful in passing graduation competency requirements by the end of their senior year. These waivers are meant to help special circumstances like seniors who transfer to a new school or if a student has attempted to pass competency tests at least three times.

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Reducing the number of waivers high schoolers are using to graduate is a goal that state education leaders said they will continue to work at.

“Looking ahead, we will continue to make improvements to ensure Indiana has a diploma that maintains rigor while also increasing seamless pathways for students as they pursue employment, enrollment or enlistment leading to service,” said Katie Jenner, Indiana’s Secretary of Education, in a news release.

The graduation rates for all student subgroups except for American Indian and Native Hawaiian or other pacific islander students all increased from the 2022 rates.

• Black students: 77.57% in 2022 to 82.43% in 2023
• Hispanic students: 83.90% in 2022 to 86.41% in 2023
• White students: 88.80% in 2022 to 90.73% in 2023
• Asian students: 92.06% in 2022 to 96.26% in 2023
• Multiracial students: 82.71% in 2022 to 84.38% in 2023
• American Indian students: 84.28% in 2022 to 80% in 2023
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander students: 83.10% in 2022 to 79.78% in 2023
• English language learners: 85.63% in 2022 to 87.72% in 2023
• Special education students: 76.44% in 2022 to 83.24% in 2023

Students in non-public schools in Indiana graduated at a 91.97% rate while students in public schools graduated at an 88.80% rate.

Students at traditional public schools in Indiana graduated at a higher rate than charter school students with a 91.29% rate and 55.07% rate respectively.

The federal graduation rate for Indiana also increased for 2023 graduates to 87.52% from 85.12% in 2022. The federal graduation rate is calculated differently due to differences between state and federal accountability equations and standards.  

Indiana’s alternate diplomas for those with severe cognitive disabilities were handed out to graduates for the first time in 2023. As part of state statute, no more than 1% of a school corporation’s cohort earning the alternate diploma can count toward the corporation’s total graduation rate.

Marion County districts mostly see increases in rates

All but three of Marion County’s 11 traditional public school districts improved their graduation rates from last year. Perry Township, Warren Township and Speedway schools all slightly fell from last year’s rates.

Warren Township had the lowest rate out of the 11 school districts at 79.24%, which is a decrease from last year's rate of 82.92%.

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Beech Grove City Schools saw the biggest increase in their graduation rate out of the 11 school districts, with a seven percentage point increase from last year.

IPS’s graduation rate includes data from Shortridge High School, Crispus Attucks High School, Arsenal Tech High School, George Washington High School, Herron High School, Riverside High School, Purdue Polytechnic High School, Christel House South, Hope Academy and Phalen Virtual Leadership Academy.

Contact IndyStar reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or CBeck@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter: @CarolineB_Indy.

Caroline’s reporting is made possible by Report for America and Glick Philanthropies. As part of its work in Marion County, Glick Philanthropies partners with organizations focused on closing access and achievement gaps in education. 

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