Drop Out Rates
Black Students Dropped/Pushed Out at Higher Rates
Black students in Washington State drop out (or are pushed out) of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 at more than twice the rate of Asian/Pacific Islander students and at nearly twice the rate of White students.
Each year, 7 percent of Black high school students drop out. Over time, more than one-third of our students leave high school before getting a diploma. As the table below shows, a small share of those who drop out eventually complete a GED, but they are accounted for in the 7 percent rate.
Graduation and Drop Out Statistics for Washington State
Annual number dropping out of grades 9, 10, 11, and 12
Student Group |
Net Enrolled | Total Dropping Out | Confirmed to have dropped out | GED Completed | Annual Drop Out Rate |
| Black | 16,382 | 1,143 | 347 | 49 | 7.0% |
| Asian/Pacific Is. | 25,137 | 821 | 295 | 29 | 3.3% |
| Hispanic | 31,493 | 2,618 | 1,049 | 96 | 8.3% |
| White | 231,313 | 10,195 | 4,220 | 944 | 4.4% |
Source: 2004-05 Drop Out Statistics (PDF), published by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Sept 2006, pg. 14, Appendix B (Get PDF Reader)
- View other data reports on dropout statistics from OSPI
What These Drop Out Rates Mean
The overall effect is that fewer of our students get high school diplomas. This greatly diminishes their earning power. Also, students who do not master high-school subjects are often not ready for career training or college after high school. This greatly limits their options for career advancement and higher wages.
