Medford, State Graduation Rates Up

The four-year graduation rates for both Medford and the commonwealth overall were up for 2012 over 2011, according to figures released by the state Department of Education Friday. 

The state said its dropout rate declined to 2.5 percent for 2011-2012, representing a fourth-straight year under 3 percent and "the lowest overall rate in decades."

Medford finds itself below the state overall on graduation rate and above the state's dropout rate.

The city's four-year graduation rate was 80.5 percent in 2012, up from 79.9 percent in 2011. Medford's dropout rate did creep up in 2012 to 8.1 percent from 7.7 percent.

"I am proud to see more students graduating on time, because now more than ever, having a high school diploma is essential to success in our 21st Century global economy," said Gov. Deval Patrick said in a statement Friday. "But until we close the achievement gap, our work is not done, and additional investments in education are critical to ensuring all students have the opportunity to succeed."

A chart with the overall state numbers can be found here, while Medford's data for 2012 can be found here and 2011 found here.