When looking at a graduating class, it is important to know not just how many graduated but how many started high school in this Class. For the Class of 2005, there were 100,230 students in the cohort (the Class) in 9th grade.  Four years later, there were 69,429 regular diplomas awarded.  This means that 69.3% of the Class of 2005 got regular diplomas.  Other diploma types such as Special Diplomas, Modified Standard Diplomas, and General Achievement Diplomas are not considered in this table.  This table is based on data from the Virginia Department of Education's website (http://www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Publications/grads/grad0405.html)

This table lists the percentage of the Class of 2005 receiving Standard or Advanced Studies diplomas by school division.  After the top row, the state totals, the divisions are listed from lowest percentage of students receiving diplomas to highest percentage of diplomas. 

     Standard and Advanced Studies Diploma rates for the Class of 2005

Divisions Percentage of 9th graders earning regular diploma in 2005 Number of 9th graders in 2001 Standard diplomas Advanced diplomas Total regular diplomas in 2005
 STATE TOTALS 69.3% 100230 33,049 36,380 69,429
Cumberland 22.5% 111 1 24 25
Norfolk 34.3% 3,608 693 543 1,236
Portsmouth 38.9% 1,669 349 301 650
Bristol 41.3% 213 43 45 88
Hopewell 42.0% 383 98 63 161
Roanoke City 43.2% 1,145 308 187 495
Lee 44.6% 408 138 44 182
Petersburg 45.1% 475 174 40 214
Richmond City 45.5% 2,107 608 350 958
Danville 47.3% 785 237 134 371
Northumberland 48.4% 155 49 26 75
Fredericksburg 49.3% 221 51 58 109
Colonial Beach 51.7% 60 16 15 31
Northampton 52.1% 192 81 19 100
Southampton 52.2% 274 52 91 143
Dinwiddie 52.2% 410 146 68 214
Nottoway 52.6% 211 61 50 111
Surry 54.3% 129 33 37 70
Gloucester 54.9% 652 189 169 358
Charles City 56.2% 89 26 24 50
Staunton 56.3% 247 40 99 139
Lynchburg 57.0% 852 229 257 486
Buchanan 57.1% 294 138 30 168
Charlottesville 58.3% 357 78 130 208
Halifax 58.6% 524 163 144 307
Campbell 59.1% 805 235 241 476
Caroline 59.3% 339 149 52 201
Buckingham 59.8% 199 79 40 119
Appomattox 60.1% 203 51 71 122
Prince Edward 60.2% 249 67 83 150
Greene 60.3% 234 79 62 141
Henry 60.5% 800 293 191 484
Hampton 60.5% 2,126 797 490 1,287
Covington 61.2% 85 32 20 52
Westmoreland 62.1% 169 74 31 105
Newport News 62.2% 2,625 913 721 1,634
Accomack 62.4% 495 209 100 309
Essex 62.5% 168 50 55 105
Amelia 62.6% 155 56 41 97
Winchester 62.6% 297 93 93 186
Lancaster 62.8% 145 33 58 91
King & Queen 62.9% 70 24 20 44
Page 63.0% 322 131 72 203
Buena Vista 63.3% 79 28 22 50
Manassas Park 63.3% 169 62 45 107
Madison 63.8% 196 49 76 125
Sussex 63.8% 105 44 23 67
Rockbridge 64.2% 321 110 96 206
Brunswick 64.2% 176 78 35 113
Franklin 64.2% 654 183 237 420
Dickenson 64.5% 211 84 52 136
Mecklenburg 64.5% 448 153 136 289
Lunenburg 64.5% 172 64 47 111
Prince William 64.7% 5,534 1,798 1,785 3,583
Richmond 65.3% 124 29 52 81
Greensville 65.5% 229 98 52 150
Tazewell 65.6% 555 235 129 364
Pulaski 65.6% 442 168 122 290
Virginia Beach 65.7% 6,667 2,005 2,375 4,380
Frederick 65.8% 1028 327 349 676
Franklin City 65.8% 117 36 41 77
Waynesboro 66.2% 263 106 68 174
Martinsville 66.4% 244 94 68 162
Middlesex 66.4% 128 52 33 85
King William 66.7% 147 58 40 98
Russell 67.1% 322 136 80 216
Wise 67.2% 592 222 176 398
Pittsylvania 67.4% 902 352 256 608
Isle Of Wight 67.6% 484 133 194 327
Harrisonburg 67.7% 347 120 115 235
Patrick 67.8% 233 96 62 158
Craig 67.9% 53 16 20 36
Colonial Heights 68.0% 231 73 84 157
New Kent 68.0% 219 81 68 149
Amherst 68.2% 428 150 142 292
Arlington 68.3% 1,539 477 574 1,051
Suffolk 68.6% 1,059 541 185 726
Warren 69.0% 435 180 120 300
Manassas 69.1% 531 165 202 367
Rockingham 69.2% 934 271 375 646
Alexandria 69.9% 720 296 207 503
Alleghany 70.0% 247 77 96 173
Henrico 70.3% 3,797 1,262 1,408 2,670
Floyd 70.7% 181 60 68 128
Louisa 71.0% 372 106 158 264
Montgomery 71.1% 783 251 306 557
Augusta 71.5% 924 293 368 661
Grayson 71.7% 173 70 54 124
Charlotte 71.8% 174 63 62 125
Salem 73.4% 361 97 168 265
Botetourt 73.5% 426 163 150 313
Bedford 73.9% 875 302 345 647
Scott 74.4% 273 107 96 203
Galax 74.7% 99 28 46 74
Fluvanna 75.4% 236 68 110 178
Nelson 75.4% 171 55 74 129
Chesapeake 75.4% 3,302 1,019 1,472 2,491
Albemarle 75.6% 1,103 249 585 834
King George 76.2% 260 93 105 198
Wythe 77.1% 323 123 126 249
Washington 77.2% 606 266 202 468
Bath 78.0% 50 26 13 39
Williamsburg-James City County 78.0% 724 173 392 565
Orange 78.5% 316 142 106 248
Mathews 78.7% 122 42 54 96
Smyth 78.9% 417 207 122 329
Rappahannock 79.0% 100 39 40 79
Radford 79.2% 130 58 45 103
Fauquier 80.1% 873 277 422 699
Powhatan 80.1% 291 109 124 233
Chesterfield 80.2% 4,497 1,525 2,080 3,605
Norton 80.4% 56 27 18 45
Shenandoah 81.3% 465 175 203 378
Giles 81.8% 192 105 52 157
Stafford 82.0% 1,939 707 883 1,590
Highland 82.1% 28 13 10 23
Bland 83.1% 65 42 12 54
Fairfax 83.2% 13,258 4,186 6,842 11,028
Culpeper 83.4% 453 211 167 378
Roanoke 83.5% 1,155 425 539 964
York 83.8% 1,083 400 508 908
Prince George 84.5% 503 231 194 425
Goochland 85.4% 130 54 57 111
Hanover 86.5% 1,462 544 720 1,264
Spotsylvania 89.4% 1,748 875 688 1,563
Poquoson 89.7% 223 55 145 200
Loudoun 91.5% 2,576 881 1,476 2,357
West Point 92.1% 76 16 54 70
Clarke 93.1% 145 53 82 135
Carroll 94.1% 222 107 102 209
Falls Church 103.3% 150 56 99 155
 STATE TOTALS 69.3% 100230 33,049 36,380 69,429

Of course, since the Commonwealth of Virginia doesn't track individual students (yet), the attrition rate and the graduation rate as calculated below, cannot be considered an exact number.  Sometimes students do move out of a school division (or into the school division).  Sometimes students move to private school (or into public school).  While these numbers cannot be considered exact, at this point, these numbers are what the state collects.  This comparison simply suggests that, the public should view the state's assertion that achievement is rising with a healthy dose of skepticism. 

Here's an excerpt from the Virginia Gazette:

Graduation rates ignore grades 9-11

By Mary Vause
The Virginia Gazette

Published October 29, 2005

Gov. Warner gave himself a pat on the back this month when he announced that Virginia's graduation rate for the Class of 2005 reached 94.6%.

Some national nonprofits that study education beg to differ. The Education Trust and the Urban Institute say Virginia's graduation rate is closer to 74%. They regard the governor as disingenuous for skewing the dropout rate, and the illogical percentages extend locally as well.  (For the rest of the story, click here.)

 

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