WYOMING — The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) released its Wyoming District Graduation Rates, which reported that Teton County School District #1 (TCSD) high school student graduation rates have slightly declined since 2021.
According to the report, the graduation rate of TCSD students declined in 2023/2024 from previous years. The TCSD four-year, on-time high school graduation rate dropped from 93.7% in 2022/2023 to 92.4% in 2023/2024. Students who are able to complete their high school requirements in four years (ninth through 12th) are considered those who graduate “on-time.”
The 2021/2022 graduation rate of 93.8% was only slighter higher than the following year, per the report.
During the COVID pandemic in 2020/2021, a higher number of students graduated, a reported 97.6%, according to the WDE.
Statewide four-year, on-time high school graduation rates have remained relatively consistent at 81.6% in 2023/2024, which is a slight increase from 81.4% percent in 2022/2023, per the report.
According to the WDE report, 6,344 Wyoming students graduated in 2023/2024, with 6,193 in the four-year, on-time cohort — the largest class since the inception of the federal cohort rate in 2009/2010.
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder said in the report that Wyoming’s on-time graduation rates have remained above 80% since 2015/2016.
“I am proud to report that graduation rates have remained steady through the COVID pandemic and continue to trend upwards in Wyoming,” Degenfelder said. “The increase in four-year, on-time graduation rates across the state, particularly among Native American students and at alternative high schools, shows immense dedication from students and staff.”
According to Degenfelder, graduation rates on the Wind River Reservation have realized significant growth. The on-time graduation rate at Wyoming Indian High School in Fremont #14 saw a significant increase from 49% to 76.5%. This growth is 27.5% above 2022/2023 rates and over 19% higher than the previous five years. Overall, six Wyoming alternative schools achieved a 10% increase or more in four-year on-time graduation rates.
The WDE calculates graduation rates using the Federal Four-Year Adjusted Cohort Methodology established by the U.S. Department of Education. Students are counted in the four-year, on-time high school graduation rate if they earn a diploma by Sept. 15, following their fourth year. This does not include homeschool transfer students.
Degenfelder said in a statement that the WDE is considering amending its procedure for calculating graduation rates.
“Federal law, non-regulatory federal guidance from the U.S. Department of Education and a proliferation of school choice options have created a national landscape of states with different methods of calculating federal graduation rates,” Degenfelder said. “I am committed to hearing all voices on this topic and will convene a working group of district superintendents, principals and other stakeholders to evaluate and update our calculation method.”
More information on Wyoming’s graduation rates can be seen here.
