Durango, Bayfield and Ignacio school districts had a lower dropout rate than the state average during the 2015-16 school year, according to data released Thursday by the Colorado Department of Education.
Durango and Bayfield school districts also had graduation rates that are above the state average.
According to the numbers, the statewide dropout rate was 2.3 percent last year, which was 0.2 percent lower than the previous year. By comparison, Durango’s dropout rate was 1.2 percent, Bayfield’s was 1.3 percent and Ignacio’s was 0.7 percent in 2016-15, according to the data.
The statewide four-year graduation rate was 78.9 percent for the class of 2016, a 1.6 percent increase from the previous year. By comparison, Durango’s four-year graduation rate was 80.2 percent, Bayfield’s was 83.1 percent and Ignacio’s was 75.4 percent – 3.5 percent below the state average – for the same year.
Ignacio School District Superintendent Rocco Fuschetto did not immediately return a phone call Thursday afternoon seeking comment.
No one from Bayfield School District administration was available to comment Thursday, and Bayfield High School Principal Leon Hanhardt said the district wanted to independently verify the data before comment.
Durango School District Superintendent Dan Snowberger said the district has an 84.2 percent completion rate, which is determined by combining all graduates with those who receive a certificate, a designation of high school completion, or a High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED). That is a testament to the district’s and the community’s dedication to making sure students have options to complete school and obtain a high school diploma, he said.
“Durango is pleased to see its graduation rate continue to rise,” Snowberger wrote in an email to the Herald. “With 80.2 percent of our students graduating on time in four years, we recognize that we still have work to accomplish. ... Building alternative pathways and supports to help students meet high standards toward graduation will continue to be our focus.”
shane@durangoherald.com
