Tacoma’s graduation rate for 2014 reached 78 percent – the highest since the state began officially tracking the statistic in 2003, according to data submitted to the state by Tacoma Public Schools.
After the release of the 2012 graduation data, the Tacoma School Board set a bold goal – graduate 85 percent of Tacoma students by 2020. That’s a bold goal considering that a national researcher in 2007 called Tacoma’s high schools “dropout factories.” And as recently as 2010, Tacoma high schools graduated only 55 percent of students.
Tacoma was failing its children, so the district took action. Partnerships formed and work got done. Education improved. More students graduated. The graduation rate went up in every Tacoma high school. Tacoma now beats the state average. Expect more good news in 2015.