Decatur Township, not the Indianapolis Public Schools, recorded the lowest graduation rate for Black seniors in the Class of 2012. That’s one of the results from graduation data released quietly, without fanfare, by the Indiana Department of Education.
Statewide, after four straight years of improvement, the graduation rate for African-American students in Indiana’s public high schools declined, while the overall graduation rate continued to improve.
Graduation data for the Class of 2012 reported that, statewide, 74 percent of Black high school students in Indiana graduated on time. That’s down from 75.2 percent last year. But up from 72.2 percent (2010); 65.9 percent (2009) and 59.5 percent (2008).
The overall graduation rate for the Class of 2012 in Indiana’s public high schools was 86.8 percent; up from 85.7 percent in 2011; 84.1 percent in 2010, 81.6 percent in 2009 and 77.8 percent in 2008.
The Indianapolis Recorder analyzed African-American graduation rates in school districts and charters with the largest number of Black high school students in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Of the 24 districts analyzed, African-American graduation rates rose in 11 districts or charters, but declined in 13 districts or charters.
Decatur Township had the lowest Black graduation rate of any area district at 58.7 percent; a major decline from 79.5 percent in 2011 and 78.4 percent in 2010. Decatur Central High School had the second lowest Black graduation rate of any area high school at 57.8 percent.
The Indianapolis Public Schools’ Class of 2012 Black graduation rate fell to 62.2 percent – the first decline since the state began its detailed graduation rate calculation system in 2006.
In 2011 IPS’ Black graduation rate was 64.2 percent. But that rate was tainted by evidence that some IPS high schools graduated significant numbers of Black students using waivers. IPS Superintendent Dr. Eugene White said the use of waivers would be reduced for the Class of 2012. The resulting decline in Black graduation rates in the district could be one reason for the decline.
However, IPS boasts two of the three high schools in the Indianapolis area with perfect Black graduation rates. Every African-American senior at IPS’ Crispus Attucks Medical Magnet and Key Learning Center graduated on time. As did every African-American senior at Wayne Township’s Ben Davis University High School.
The charter high school with the highest Black graduation rate was Fall Creek Academy (86.7 percent). Surprisingly, the Black graduation rate at Charles A. Tindley Accelerated School charter, which has a reputation of its students being college achievers, fell from 84.6 percent in 2011 to 78.9 percent in 2012.
Rounding out the top 10 Black graduation rates for area high schools were: Southport 96.9 percent, Carmel 94.9 percent, Pike 92.6 percent, Franklin Central 91.2 percent, Westfield-Washington 91.7 percent, Brownsburg 91.7 percent and Mt. Vernon Community 90.5 percent.
High Schools with 80-90 percent Black graduation rates were: Ben Davis 88.5 percent, Avon 87.7 percent, Fishers 87.2 percent, Noblesville 86.7 percent, Speedway 86.7 percent, Fall Creek Academy Charter 86.7 percent, Hamilton Southeastern 85.7 percent, Warren Central 85.3 percent, Herron Charter 85.3 percent, Lawrence Central 85.1 percent, Indiana Math & Science Academy Charter 81.8 percent, Zionsville 81.8 percent, Perry Meridian 81.6 percent, Irvington Community Charter 80 percent.
After the perfect 2012 Black graduation rates for Attucks and Key Learning, IPS’ other high schools had mixed results. Broad Ripple was at 79.7 percent, John Marshall 76 percent and George Washington 66.7 percent. Bringing up the rear was Arsenal Tech at an abysmal 59.8 percent and Northwest at a horrid 57.9 percent.
The three IPS high schools taken over by the state and now monitored by the Mayor’s Charter Schools Office had a mixed result in Black graduation rates.
Manual had 82.9 percent of their Black 2012 graduates getting their diplomas on time. Howe’s Black graduation rate was 63.5 percent, while Arlington’s 55.5 percent was the lowest of any IPS high school (current or takeover).
Besides Charles Tindley’s 78.9 percent Black graduation rate, results of other area charters improved over 2011. In 2011 Indianapolis Metropolitan High School’s Black graduation rate was 41.9 percent, but that sharply improved to 72 percent in 2012.
While the Excel Center specializes in students that take longer than four years to finish high school, 11 percent of their Class of 2012 graduated on time.
Graduation rates in Indiana are computed by tracking each individual student in a high school’s freshman class for four years. Students not included in the graduate rate are not all dropouts. They include students who receive a GED diploma, or a Certificate of Completion, or drop out.
