We reported yesterday that the overall graduation rate for Escambia County has improved from the 2009-10 school year to 2013-14 school year.
However, further analysis shows that the improvement was uneven and the African-American students have fallen further behind the statewide graduation rate.
In 2010, 57.8 percent of all black high school seniors in the state of Florida graduated, while only 44.4 percent graduated in Escambia County. A variance of 13.4 percent.
In 2014, 64.7 percent of all black high school seniors in the state of Florida graduated, while only 49.8 percent graduated in Escambia County. A variance of 14.8 percent.
Our African-American students have fallen behind since 2010, while our white students have closed the gap with statewide rates by over 3 percent, hispanic students by 17.6 percent, multiple race students by 11.1 percent, Asian students by 1 percent, and American Indian by 1.2 percent.
When you compare the improvements with Marion County, one of our peer counties, the variances are even more profound. Marion County’s gains are spread evenly among white, black and hispanic students (15.4%-14.5%), as are the improvements in statewide rates (7.6%-6.9%).
Escambia County is failing its black students. The good news is if the school district can improve the graduation rate of its black students, the data suggests the graduation rates of the other students will also improve. For one percentage point improvement in black graduation rates, the white rate rate improved by twice as much.
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