JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Thursday, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) released the 2022-23 school year graduation and dropout rates. According to MDE, the report showed an all-time high 89.4% graduation rate and a decreased 8.5% dropout rate.

Rates are based on students who entered ninth grade for the first time during the 2019-20 school year. Among students with disabilities, the graduation rate increased to 70%, and the dropout rate decreased to 17.7%.

The statewide graduation rate was 74.5% in 2013, and officials said it has increased annually. The rate does not include students who earned a GED or a certificate of completion.

Pandemic disruptions affected the graduation rate in recent years. Due to COVID-19, passing requirements were waived for high school end-of-year assessments in Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History in 2020-21. The waivers have had a positive impact on the graduation rate, but MDE officials said that impact should diminish for the 2023-24 school year.

Mississippi’s graduation rate exceeds the latest U.S. rate of 86.5% from 2019-20 reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

The statewide dropout has decreased from 13.9% in 2013. The current dropout rate figures reflect a .5% decrease from 2021-22 and a 1.6% decrease among students with disabilities.