M-DCPS Graduation Rate Increases in 2020-2021

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ (M-DCPS) high school graduation rate for the 2020-2021 school year reached an impressive 90.1 percent, a 0.5 percentage point increase over the previous year. This marks the highest graduation rate M-DCPS has achieved since the Florida Department of Education began tracking graduation statistics with modern methods in the late 1990s. If charter schools are removed from the calculation, the graduation rate for schools managed by the District rose to 94 percent.

While most graduates met the high school graduation test requirements through statewide testing or concordant scores, due to flexibility provided by the state during the global pandemic, some students may have had alternate criteria applied.

The newly released graduation rate increased by 12 percentage points over the 2014-2015 school year, the first year of the more rigorous Florida Standards, and increased by 31.4 percentage points from 58.7 percent in 2006-2007. Below are some highlights of the District’s performance from 2014-2015 to 2020-2021:

• In 2021, M-DCPS met the state’s overall graduation rate at 90.1, with each of the following subgroups surpassing their counterparts statewide: Hispanic, White, English Language Learners, Students with Disabilities, and Economically Disadvantaged.
• Hispanic students improved by 11.7 percentage points to 90.9 percent in 2021, surpassing the state rate of 89.4.
• White students improved by 5.3 percentage points to 93.6 percent, surpassing the state rate of 91.8.
• Black students improved by 15.2 percentage points to 85.6 percent, remaining stable from 2020.
• The District’s graduation rate for Students with Disabilities improved by 18 percentage points to 83.6 percent, surpassing the state rate of 82.3 percent.
• Economically Disadvantaged students improved by 13.8 percentage points to 89.1 percent, surpassing the state rate of 87.2.
• English Language Learners improved by 25.3 percentage points to 86.8 percent, surpassing the state rate of 86.1.
• M-DCPS students’ rate of improvement from 2020 to 2021 exceeded their counterparts’ statewide in the following categories: Overall, White, Hispanic, English Language Learners, and Economically Disadvantaged.

“We take pride in the fact that Miami-Dade County Public Schools continues to achieve historic graduation rates, despite the unprecedented challenges faced as a result of the pandemic,” said Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho. “The District is encouraged and energized by these results, as they are a testament to the extraordinary efforts of our resilient students and dedicated workforce.”

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