Newberg’s four-year graduation rate has improved six percentage points in the last five years. 

Numbers released by the Oregon Department of Education today show 76 percent of the Class of 2015 graduating in four years. This marks the second consecutive year Newberg maintained a consistent graduation rate, breaking the up and down pattern seen over the last five years.

Oregon uses a cohort graduation rate that follows a class of students through four years of high school and measures the percentages that finish on time and in five years. The state’s graduation rate is 74 percent. 

The percent of NHS students completing in five years is 82 percent.

“I want to recognize the hard work by our students, families and our staff that this achievement represents,” said Superintendent Kym LeBlanc-Esparza. “This is the best two-year average we have seen.”

While LeBlanc-Esparza is encouraged by the report, she recognizes there are significant gaps in achievement, especially as it relates to poverty.

“Over 92 percent of our graduates who are not economically disadvantaged earned diplomas,” said LeBlanc-Esparza. “While that is great news, the success rate drops dramatically when we look at students in poverty.”

She explained that there is a 32 percent gap in the graduation rate between students divided by economic status. That economic gap between graduates was 20 percent in 2014.  Nearly 46 percent of the Class of 2015 is considered economically disadvantaged by federal standards.

“Poverty continues to present barriers to our student’s success,” said LeBlanc-Esparza. “It confirms we are doing the exact right work to ensure all students leave school with the skills needed to be successful.”

Under LeBlanc-Esparza’s leadership, educators are increasing awareness of economic disparity in their schools and developing strategies to improve outcomes for all students. Last November, nearly 400 staff members experienced typical barriers faced by low-income families in a poverty simulation. The district has added a drop-out prevention and credit recovery position this year to focus on increasing success for at-risk students.