After experiencing a slight decrease in graduation rates during the second and third years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan high school students have seen a significant rebound in the 2022-23 academic year, reaching levels close to previous records.
According to the Michigan Department of Education, the graduation rate for four-year term students stands at 81.77%, marking the second-highest rate in the state’s history. The highest rate was recorded in 2019-20 at 82.07%, coinciding with the onset of the pandemic, which led to school closures and the relaxation of many graduation requirements.
In comparison to the previous academic year, the 2023 graduation rate has shown an increase of 0.75 percentage points, rising from 81.01% in 2022.
Conversely, the dropout rate, which typically fluctuated between 7% and 9% in recent years, decreased by 0.06 percentage points from 8.19% to 8.13%.
State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice expressed his satisfaction with the rising graduation rates, stating that they surpass pre-pandemic levels in almost all categories. He attributed this success to the dedication and hard work of Michigan students, educators, support staff, and communities.
The five-year graduation rate has also seen an improvement, climbing from 83.85% to 84.14%, while the six-year rate experienced a slight decline from 85.21% to 84.64%.
At the district level, 12 districts achieved a 100% graduation rate, with Grosse Ile Township Schools in Wayne County being the only district with more than 100 graduates to reach this milestone.
In the previous year, a total of 14 districts boasted a 100% graduation rate. However, only Big Bay De Noc School District in Delta County, North Muskegon Public Schools in Muskegon, and New Lothrop Area Public Schools in Shiawassee maintained a 100% graduation rate for both years.
The data also reveals a district-wide map illustrating the 2022-23 graduation rates in Michigan, along with the rates from the past five years.
Furthermore, the graduation rate data can be analyzed based on various categories such as gender, race, and socio-economic conditions. Female students have consistently outperformed their male counterparts by nearly 6 percentage points, with a rate of 84.8% compared to 78.9% for males. Both genders experienced an increase of almost 1 percentage point in 2023.
Among different ethnic groups, Asian students in Michigan have consistently achieved the highest graduation rates, surpassing 90% over the last five years and reaching a record rate of 93.5% in 2022-23. Hispanic students showed the most significant year-over-year increase among ethnic groups, rising by 2.49 percentage points to 76.8%.
In terms of socio-economic status, migrant students demonstrated the most substantial improvement, with a 10.41 percentage point increase to 71.4% in 2023, marking the highest growth among all 17 segmented groups.
At the school level, 107 out of 1,262 schools (8.5%) reported a 100% graduation rate. Macomb County had the highest number of schools (14) with a 100% rate among the 83 counties in the state.
Additionally, approximately 27.9% of schools reported graduation rates between 90-99%, making it the most common bracket among the schools.
A searchable database providing information on 2023 graduation rates by school, including rates since 2019, is available for reference.