The Escambia County School District lost 680 students from its 2015-16 freshman class when it came time to calculate the Class of 2019 graduation cohort –a 20.2% decline. This happened despite the county adding an estimated 6,007 people over the same period of time. The district lost 20% of its white and black students and 30% of its students that are two or more races from 2015-16 freshman class.
In contrast, Santa Rosa County picked up 74 students.
How much of the loss made it possible for the Escambia County School District to report a higher graduation rate?
Our colleges and universities are measured on retention. Florida public high schools are not.
| Ninth | Graduate | |||
| Grade | Cohort | |||
| ESCAMBIA | 2015-16 | 2018-19 | Difference | |
| White | 1664 | 1323 | -341 | -20.5% |
| Black | 1189 | 951 | -238 | -20.0% |
| Hispanic | 174 | 151 | -23 | -13.2% |
| Asian | 94 | 83 | -11 | -11.7% |
| Pacific islander | 10 | 11 | 1 | 10.0% |
| Am. Indian | 29 | 21 | -8 | -27.6% |
| Two or more | 200 | 140 | -60 | -30.0% |
| 3360 | 2680 | -680 | -20.2% | |
| Ninth | Graduate | |||
| Grade | Cohort | |||
| SANTA ROSA | 2015-16 | 2018-19 | Difference | |
| White | 1718 | 1748 | 30 | 1.7% |
| Black | 110 | 127 | 17 | 15.5% |
| Hispanic | 123 | 133 | 10 | 8.1% |
| Asian | 38 | 37 | -1 | -2.6% |
| Pacific islander | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Am. Indian | 15 | 17 | 2 | 13.3% |
| Two or more | 130 | 146 | 16 | 12.3% |
| 2134 | 2208 | 74 | 3.5% |
Escambia County’s Class of 2019 lost 20 percent its freshman-year class.