EAST PROVIDENCE — While the graduation rate at East Providence High School for the Class of 2017 dipped slightly, it still bested the state average.
The Rhode Island Department of Education last week released an updated table of graduation rates over a four-year period, including those who completed studies in 2017. Overall, the state’s rate rose to 84.1 percent, a 1.3 point increase over 2016 and an eight-point increase since 2010.
At EPHS, 84.5 percent of students who entered as freshmen in the fall of 2013 completed their requirements in four years. That figure was 1.5 points below the graduation rate of 86 percent for the Class of 2016.
EPHS bottomed out in terms of graduation rates with the Class of 2011 when only 69 percent of students eligible received their diplomas. The rates then started to rise steadily, reaching back up to 80 percent with the Class of 2014, then 84 in the Class of 2015.
“I’m very proud of our students and teachers here at EPHS,” Principal Shani Wallace said of the relatively stable graduation numbers. “Teachers and students are encouraged on a daily basis by incorporating Blended Learning Techniques. Every student is an individual and teachers work very hard to allow for individual success through multiple learning opportunities. Bringing out the best of each student will continue to be our goal.”
Male students in city last year graduated at 86.3 percent, while females lagged behind at 82.9, the same number, albeit a better one in comparison with the state, for African-American pupils at EPHS. White students graduated at a rate of 84.7 percent, Hispanics at 69.2 and multi-racial students 90.
Compared to the overall rates, EPHS students had mixed results when matched with their peers in those categories around the state. The local numbers were better African-American pupils opposed to students around Rhode Island who graduated at a rate of 81.5. The same was true for EPHS males, whose peers across the state graduated at 80.3 percent, and, multi-racial students, who peers graduated at 79.3. In contrast, however, EPHS White students trailed the state percent of 87.7, as did females (88.2) and Hispanics (75.8).
“We are moving in a positive direction,” East Providence Superintendent of School Kathryn Crowley said. “However, we need to continue to improve our percentage at a greater rate.”
Rhode Island saw slight improvements among certain student subgroups in the Class of 2017, including a 4.1 percent point increase for black students, a 3.6-point increase for students with disabilities, and a 1.2-point increase for low-income students. The graduation rate for Hispanic students increased only slightly, by .3 points, and went down 1.4 points for English learners.
“While the overall trend in graduation rates is encouraging, the decrease among English learners underscores the challenge we face when it comes to closing equity gaps for our students,” Ken Wagner, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education, said in a press release on the subject. “We need to ensure that all students, and especially our low-income students, students with disabilities, students of color and English learners, have the support they need and access to the kinds of challenging, engaging learning opportunities that will close achievement gaps and put them on a path to success.”
East Providence’s standing among the so-called “Urban Ring” districts for the Class of 2017 was just about in the middle of the group.
North Providence led the Urban Ring with a Class of 2017 graduation rate of 95.1 percent. Toll Gate was next at 94.5 followed by Cranston East 91.6, Pilgrim 90, Johnston 85.3 and Rogers 82.6. Woonsocket remained as the outlier at just 67.5.
High schools around the state to surpass the 95-percent graduation rate included: Barrington (95.6%), East Greenwich (97.1%), Paul Cuffee Charter School (96.7%), Portsmouth (95.9%), Scituate (97.1%), The Greene School (97.8%), Trinity Academy for the Performing Arts (96.3%) and Village Green Virtual Charter School (98.5%).