Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010

More graduate in Johnston

More Johnston County students graduated from high school this past year, while Wake County's four-year graduation rate held steady.

This past school year, 74.4 percent of Johnston students graduated after four years in high school, compared with 72.9 percent in 2009, according to data from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction.

In Wake, 78.4 percent graduated this past school year, the same rate as the year before.

Statewide this past year, 74.2 percent of students graduated after four years.

In Garner and western Johnston County, some schools' graduation rates improved, while others dropped.

At Clayton High School, 85.1 percent of students graduated after four years, down from 86.9 percent the year before. But Clayton still had the highest graduation rate among Johnston County's regular high schools.

West Johnston wasn't far behind, with a graduation rate of 84.2 percent after four years. That's up from 81.2 percent the prior year.

Garner High School's graduation rate lagged behind the Wake County rate, at 72.6 percent. But the school did better than the year before, when 71.8 percent of students graduated after four years.

Southeast Raleigh High did better, with a graduation rate of 82.6 percent, up from 80.9 percent the year before.

Across both school districts, a higher percentage of white students finished school after four years compared with minority students. Students from low-income families lagged behind wealthier classmates. And female students graduated at a higher rate than their male peers.

In Johnston, 65.8 percent of black students graduated after four years, while 64.2 percent finished school in Wake.

In comparison, 80.8 percent of white students finished in Johnston, and 89.5 percent finished in Wake.

About 58 percent of Hispanic students graduated in Johnston, while 54.5 percent finished in Wake.

Among poor students, 61.9 percent graduated in Johnston, compared with 79.9 percent of their wealthier peers. In Wake, 59.7 percent of poor students finished, compared with 84.2 percent of wealthier students.