A Peek At Lamorinda's Dropout & Graduation Rates

Lamorinda schools continue to sail well above the state average in graduation rates, and well below the state average in dropout rates.

Miramonte High in Orinda had an increase in dropout rate. But the school had nowhere to go but up — in the previous year, 2010-11, the Miramonte dropout rate was 0.0 percent.

Overall, California's graduation rates for 2011-12 rose while dropout rates declined, in figures released this week from state education officials. The state superintendent's office reported 78.5 percent of students who started high school in 2008-2009 graduated last year. That was up 1.4 percentage points from the year before. More about the state breakdowns below in this article.

Miramonte's graduation rate rose in 2012 to 98.5 percent, up from 97.6 percent in 2011. The dropout rate rose from 0.0 to 0.3 percent in 2012.

At Acalanes High in Lafayette, the graduation rate escalated to 99.7 percent in 2012, up 2.2 percent from the year before. The dropout rate was steady at 0.3 percent.

Campolindo High in Moraga dropped in graduation rate from 99.7 percent to 99.4 percent in 2012. Its dropout rate rose from 0.3 percent to 0.6 percent.

Districtwide, the Acalanes Union High School District saw a rise in graduation rate to 97.3 percent in 2012, up 0.6 percent over the year before. The dropout rate was steady at 1.4 percent.

There are also a small percentage of students who are not counted as either graduates or dropouts because they are still in school or passed the GED or are special education students.

Statewide stats

Statewide, among African-American students, 65.7 percent graduated with their class in 2012, up 2.9 points from the year before.

Among Hispanic students, 73.2 percent graduated in 2012, up 1.8 points from the year before.

There was a corresponding drop in the state's dropout rate.

The superintendent's office reported 13.2 percent of students who began high school in 2008-2009 dropped out. That was down 1.5 percentage points from the year before.

The dropout rate among African-American students dropped 3.1 points to 22.2 percent. Among Hispanic students, the dropout rate fell 2.1 points to 16.2 percent.

Another 8.3 percent of students were labeled as neither dropouts nor graduates.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson said while the trend is positive, California schools still need to do more. He said he'd like to see the graduation rate top 80 percent in the near future and then reach 90 percent by 2020.

He commended local school officials for improving education despite budget cuts the past few years and the fact California is 49th in the nation in education funding.

"As I travel up and down the state, I see great things happening in California schools," said Torlakson.