Hillsborough Graduation Rates Beat the State Average

Hillsborough County high school seniors are making the grade and they’re earning diplomas to prove it.

That’s according to the Hillsborough County Public School’s website, which says the graduation rate was up to 84.3 percent countywide during the 2010-11 school year. This is an increase of 2 percentage points over the 2009-10 school year. It also beats the state’s average graduation rate of 80.1 percent.

Gaither High School students really made the grade, topping the district's average. That school saw 89.5 percent of its senior class graduate.

Other area schools fared even better. Chamberlain had a 90.1 percent rate and Steinbrenner students graduated at a rate of 97.6 percent, making it one of the county's top schools.

According to school district officials, the county’s graduation rate is the highest among the state’s largest school districts. Its rate also compares well to nearby districts, such as Pasco, which had a graduation rate of 88.5 percent.

“It’s gratifying to see steady improvement in our graduation rate year after year," said Superintendent MaryEllen Elia, according to the district’s website. “This has been and continues to be a priority of ours.”

Hillsborough’s dropout rate is also down. Overall, the county’s rate is 0.8 percent, which represents a decrease of 1.3 percent since 2006.

For more information about Hillsborough’s graduation rates, visit the Florida Department of Education online.