Franklin Community High School seniors receive their diplomas at the school’s graduation ceremony in May 2022.
Daily Journal File Photo
More Indiana students are graduating from high school in 2023 than in years before. All six Johnson County schools graduated seniors at a higher rate than the state as a whole for the second year in a row.
The Indiana Department of Education released the 2023 graduation rate in December, showing the state graduation rate at its highest since 2016. 2023 represents the third-highest graduation rate since data collection began in 2012, according to the IDOE.
Overall, the state’s graduation rate increased by nearly 2.5%. County schools saw even higher increases this year. Edinburgh had the county’s highest graduation rate at 98.18%, up from 91.8% in 2022. Center Grove had the second-highest graduation rate at 97.18%, up from 96.4% last year.
Indian Creek had the largest increase in graduation rates this year with 97.16%, up from 89.15% in 2022. Greenwood also rose, with a little more than 3% increase to 93.90% in 2023 from 88.66% in 2022.
Whiteland’s and Franklin’s high schools both saw an increase of over 2%. Whiteland Community High School’s rate improved from 90.06% in 2022 to 92.61% in 2023. Franklin Community High School increased to 91.84%, from 88.7% in 2022.
Local high schools have all been focusing on adding additional pathways to graduation that help students succeed and stay engaged, said Nora Hoover, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning.
“We’re using all the different ways to get kids to that final goal,” Hoover said. “So in the last three to four years, we have added and continue to add to our pathways that we offer here in the building as well as what kids can do at C9 [Central Nine].”
There are multiple ways students can reach graduation requirements through the pathways. The pathways allow some students to already be on track to complete an associate’s degree and more. Areas like culinary arts, fashion, human and social services are just a few pathways that Center Grove offers students.
“High school out to be a place where kids fall in love with their future,” said Jeff Henderson, principal of Center Grove High School. “And they determined things that they’re passionate about, they have opportunities to pursue those and those really determine, ‘Hey, is this an area that I can see myself in?’ You know, make a living?’”
Having multiple opportunities and pathways for students to choose from is a “game changer,” Hoover said. Students can explore careers and passions while earning graduation requirements, as well as saving money from collegiate courses.
“Having great programs, whether it’s for a pathway or just for those electives kids have, I think it keeps kids more engaged in school and more apt to stay here,” she said.
Maintaining a high graduation rate also boils down to student’s daily interactions with teachers and students working hard to make progress, Henderson said. Eight counselors serve 2,624 students at Center Grove, ensuring students stay on track, get help when needed and challenge themselves without overwhelming themselves. Social workers assist students who are encountering difficulties outside of the classrooms and regulating their emotions so they can focus on classroom work.
Statewide, graduation rates increased by nearly 5% for Black students and 6.85% for students in special education. Hispanic student graduation rates were up by 2.55% and students receiving free and reduced-price meals were up by 5%.
“Earning a high school diploma is essential to unlocking a successful future,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a press release. “In the years since the pandemic, educators across the state have worked hard to ensure our students — our state’s future leaders — are more prepared than ever to emerge from high school and thrive. Through this work, Hoosier educators are helping students gain the knowledge and skills, as well as the confidence they need to determine their destiny.”
Fewer students are being granted waivers to graduate, too. The non-waiver graduation rate improved by 4.34%, according to state data.
“As a state, we have worked very hard to reduce our waiver rate and keep our focus on ensuring students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life and in their career,” Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education said in a press release. “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.”
