4J's Grad Rate Dips Ahead of Expected Future Gain
The four-year high school graduation rate in Eugene School District 4J for 2024 declined 1.9 percent from 2023 to 79.0 percent, but district leaders expect gains in future years from a key schedule adoption and other program changes.
“We view this as a temporary dip as we adopt new approaches that will get us back to steady gains in the future,” said Larry Williams, the district’s assistant superintendent for instruction.
4J moved in 2023 to semesters (two terms per school year from what had been three) and "A" and "B" class schedules, where students have longer class times and fewer meetings per week. This schedule approach has been used for years in the neighboring Springfield and Bethel districts, which have seen graduation rate gains.
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A major result of the schedule change is more realistic chances for students to get back on track if they fall behind, due to a 10 percent bump in the number of high school credits students can earn in one year. Oregon requires 24 credits to graduate high school. 4J’s old schedule only offered students a total of 30 possible credits. Now they can take as many as 33 credits (.5 credits per class) which not only means recovery options for struggling students, but the chance for all students to take more classes that speak to their own interests and pursue college and career readiness in multiple ways.
District leaders believe that when teachers have optimized their use of additional prep time afforded by the new schedule, and when students have a chance to use the more flexible schedule to bank more credits, that overall graduation rates will rise.
District staff also expect its early literacy grant to pay future graduation dividends, along with several curriculum adoptions and programs to engage more students and prepare them for college and the workforce, including Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and Career Technical Education.
Recognizing the effect student mental health has on engagement, attendance and achievement (especially after the pandemic) 4J has expanded mental health services, and targeted outreach and support for students who need help.
Notable graduation rate changes for 2024:
- 4J’s 2024 graduation rate is higher than pre-pandemic graduation rates.
- Students who have earned two or more credits in a state-approved Career-Technical Education program had a graduation rate increase of 11.7 percent, tracking with positive performance for CTE across the state.
- The district's steepest declines from the previous year were with:
- American Indian/Alaskan Native Students (30 percent lower; the group consisted of 10 of 4J’s 1,405 seniors last year)
- English language learners (18.5 percent lower; 43 of the 1,405 seniors)
- Students with disabilities (7.4 percent lower; 155 of the 1,405 seniors).
District instruction leaders will present a report on graduation rates to the school board at its Feb. 5 meeting.