According to California Department of Education data released, the Riverside County graduation rate of 90.1 percent for the class of 2019 is #1 among the top 10 largest comparison counties in California for the first time in history.
Riverside County’s graduation rate has increased substantially since the class of 2010 posted a 77.7 percent graduation rate. In line with the graduation rate, the dropout rate in Riverside County reached a historic low of 4.6 percent—also the lowest rate among the largest 10 counties in California.
“Every parent, educator, and community leader in Riverside County who has stepped up to support our students and our schools should be proud of this accomplishment. Through collaborative leadership with all 23 school districts, identifying and expanding innovative programs, and focusing on a shared commitment to building a sustainable system of support for all students, the future for our graduates, their families, and the region as a whole, is brighter than ever before,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Judy D. White. “In line with our pledge at the Riverside County Office of Education, we will continue our focused work until every student graduates from high school academically and socially prepared for college, the workforce, and civic responsibility.”
Additional data released by the California Department of Education showed gains among nearly all student groups in college readiness (A-G Completion) and mastery over additional languages (Seal of Biliteracy). Additional district and school-level data are available via CDE’s DataQuest and the newly-updated 2019 California School Dashboard.
Highlights of Riverside County Results:
Graduation Rate
o #1 in graduation rate among the 10 largest counties in California
o Among the state’s largest counties, Riverside County is the only county to achieve graduation rate above 90 percent
o 90.1 percent of the students who started high school in 2015 in Riverside County (30,101 out of 33,4222) graduated with their class in 2019
o This is the first time Riverside County has achieved a graduation rate above 90 percent
o This is an increase from a graduation rate of 88.9 percent in 2018
o Statewide graduation rate in California is 84.5 percent
o 16 of the 18 districts with high schools in Riverside County have graduation rates above the state average
Dropout Rate
o #1 in lowest dropout rates among the 10 largest counties in California
o Among the state’s largest counties, Riverside County is the only county to drive the dropout rate below 5 percent.
o 4.6 percent of the students who started high school in 2015 in Riverside County (1,548) did not graduate with their class in 2019
o This is the first time Riverside County has achieved a dropout rate below 5 percent
o This is a decrease from a dropout rate of 15.1 percent in 2010
o Statewide dropout rate in California is 9 percent
o 15 of the 18 districts with high schools in Riverside County have dropout rates lower than the state average
College Readiness (A-G Completion Rates for UC/CSU)
o Nearly half of class of 2019 graduates (45.4%) in Riverside County met requirements for admission to either the UC or CSU system
o This is an increase from an A-G completion rate of 42.4 percent in 2018
o Statewide A-G completion rate in California is 42.7 percent
State Seal of Biliteracy
o 8.9 percent of students in the class of 2019 met the state requirements for biliteracy
o This is an increase from a biliteracy rate of 6.2 percent in 2018
o Statewide seal of biliteracy rate in California is 9.8 percent
Addressing the Achievement Gap
o All student groups in Riverside County have demonstrated improvement in graduation and dropout rates since 2010
o Hispanic students – 89.1 percent graduation rate (State rate is 82.1%)
o African American students – 88.3 percent graduation rate (State rate is 76.8%)
o Socioeconomically disadvantaged students – 88.1 percent
o Homeless students – 82 percent
o English learners – 79.7 percent
o Migrant education students – 79 percent
o Students with disabilities – 74.6 percent
o Foster youth students – 66.3 percent with the largest gain among all student groups in Riverside County of 7.7 percentage points from 2018 to 2019
District Performance
o Largest graduation rate gain from 2018 to 2019
- San Jacinto USD – 88.7 percent to 94.2 percent
- Riverside USD – 91.1 percent to 95.2 percent
o Largest graduation rate gain from 2010-2019
- Moreno Valley USD – 65.7 percent to 91.2 percent
- San Jacinto USD – 72.8 percent to 94.2 percent
*** Data refers to four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate in California Department of Education’s DataQuest. This report includes students from all schools, charter, and non-charters in Riverside County.