Pinellas graduation rate ranks at the top in the state among the largest ten districts

Jan. 9, 2020

Pinellas County Schools is once again celebrating a record-high graduation rate for the 2018-2019 school year. According to the official report just released by the Florida Department of Education, the district’s graduation rate rose to 88.44 percent, up 2.44 percentage points from last year’s record high, and more than 16.5 percentage points since 2013. The district achieved the highest graduation rate among the state’s ten largest districts.

 Source: Florida Department of Education 2018-19 Graduation data and Florida EdStats Portal

Additionally, the district’s Bridging the Gap plan continues to show results and has helped produce the district’s highest graduation rate among black students and the lowest achievement gap in district history.

• The graduation rate among black students for 2018-2019 was 81.3 percent, up 5.1 percentage points from the previous year and nearly 25 points since 2013.
• The achievement gap shrank to 8.7 percent from an 11.9 percent gap in 2017-2018.
• The achievement gap at the inception of the Bridging the Gap plan six years ago was 18 percent. This is the first time the gap has been in the single digits.

Our Exceptional Student Education (ESE) students continue to make outstanding gains. Graduation rates among ESE students spiked by 7.2 percentage points to 79.7 percent, the highest in district history.

 “We are extremely proud of the hard work students, teachers and staff put in to achieve these phenomenal results,” said Superintendent Michael Grego, Ed.D. “While we have much to celebrate, we continue to strive to realize the district’s vision of 100% student success. We are steadfast in our commitment to provide students the tools they need to fulfill their full potential and prepare them for college, career and life.”

Additional 2018-19 highlights include:

• Hispanic students’ graduation rate continues to steadily improve to 86.7 percent up 1.7 percentage points from last year;
• English Learner students achieved an 81.5 percent graduation rate, that’s more than a three-point increase over last year;
• Pinellas outpaced the state by 1.5 percentage points;
• East Lake High School had the highest graduation rate in the district at 99.8 percent;
• Countryside High School showed the greatest improvement in its graduation rate, with an increase of 3.3 percentage points; and
• 14 of 16 traditional high schools increased their graduation rates in 2018-19.

2019 Graduation Rate by School