Children And Education
High School Cohort Graduation Rate

Increasing


High School Cohort Graduation Rate

What does this measure?

The number of students graduating after four years of high school, expressed as a percentage of their cohort. A cohort is a class of ninth-graders beginning high school in the same academic year.

Why is this important?

High school graduation is the culmination of a successful K-12 education and the gateway to college or employment. Students who do not graduate face the prospect of unemployment or low-paying jobs.

How is our county performing?

In 2023, 89% of the 2019-20 cohort in Lancaster County graduated, compared to 88% statewide. Lancaster's rate has held fairly steady since 2011 ranging between 91-88%. Lancaster City School District's graduation rate was 76% in 2023, an increase of 7 percentage points from 2011.

Lancaster County had the second highest graduation rate behind Cumberland at 93%. Rates for Cumberland and Berks increased the most since 2011 (3 percentage points each),while Dauphin county has seen a decrease of 7 percentage points in the same time period.

Notes about the data

Students are included in the cohort based on the year they entered Grade 9. Students are transferred in or out of cohorts if they transfer schools. Students who earn a GED or Certificate of Attainment are not counted as graduates.

High School Cohort Graduation Rate
2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Pennsylvania83%84%86%85%85%86%87%86%87%87%87%87%88%
Lancaster County88%89%90%89%90%91%91%88%89%89%89%88%89%
Berks County84%83%85%84%84%87%86%86%87%87%87%87%87%
Chester County86%84%81%84%79%80%83%84%85%86%87%87%87%
Cumberland County90%89%90%91%91%93%93%92%92%93%93%92%93%
Dauphin County82%82%79%84%84%82%80%80%75%76%77%76%75%
Lebanon County87%86%85%88%86%86%85%85%85%88%85%86%86%
York County88%88%90%89%88%88%89%88%89%90%89%89%88%

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




Number of High School Graduates
2011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023
Pennsylvania126,871123,599123,613121,357117,212117,619118,366119,765119,750118,941118,137119,326119,109
Lancaster County4,8244,8614,7314,7294,5754,6984,7384,9094,7804,5844,6284,6674,567
Berks County4,6354,5334,5344,4494,2844,4224,4874,6634,5394,6014,5884,6584,757
Chester County6,2386,3586,7326,8806,7536,4406,5566,8036,7556,7056,9197,0446,880
Cumberland County2,0732,0641,9222,1031,9711,9792,0742,1322,0992,1112,1032,1242,192
Dauphin County2,7662,8042,8482,8582,8793,0763,0163,1833,1993,2673,2393,6154,058
Lebanon County1,2701,2221,2761,1871,2131,2501,2091,2411,2711,2831,2821,2851,348
York County4,6764,6814,6254,6014,4384,5894,4224,6874,7324,8124,6334,8444,731

Source: Pennsylvania Department of Education




INDICATORS TREND
Prekindergarten Participation Increasing
Student Performance on Grade 3 English Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate Increasing
Per-Student Spending Maintaining
Students Receiving Special Education Services Increasing
Rate of Foster Care Admissions Maintaining
Disengaged Youth Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Plans of High School Graduates Not Applicable
Enrollment in Local Colleges Decreasing
College Graduation Rates Decreasing
Brain Drain/Gain Increasing
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Charitable Giving Maintaining
Voter Registration Rate Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Age of Housing Stock Not Applicable
Violent Crime Rate Maintaining
Incarceration Rate Decreasing
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population Density Increasing
Air Quality Decreasing
Water Use Decreasing
Waterways Impaired by Pollution Not Applicable
Change in Population Increasing
Change in Population by Age and Gender Not Applicable
Population by Age Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Change in Total Jobs Increasing
Change in Employment by Sector Not Applicable
Sector Share of Total Jobs Not Applicable
Workers by Occupation Not Applicable
Change in Labor Force Maintaining
People Entering/Leaving County/Region for Work Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
Change in Average Salary Since 2000 Increasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Employer Size Not Applicable
Change in Number of Businesses by Sector Increasing
Change in Total Agricultural Sales Increasing
Spending for Local Government Maintaining
Spending for School Districts Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty Decreasing
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Decreasing
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Veterans Living in Poverty Maintaining
Working Poor Decreasing
Median Household Income by Household Type Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Household Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Students Eligible for Free/Reduced Price Lunch Increasing
Median Home Value Maintaining
Occupied Housing Units Maintaining
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Rent Maintaining
Cost of Renting Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Health Status Decreasing
Prevalence of Mental Illness Maintaining
Adults Who are Overweight or Obese Not Applicable
Mortality Rates Decreasing
Mortality Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Increasing
Fatal Drug Overdoses Increasing
Cancer Incidence Decreasing
Households With Internet Access Increasing
High-Tech Jobs Increasing
STEM Graduates Increasing
Science and Engineering Research and Development Maintaining
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children in Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving SNAP by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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