Graduation Rates Continue to Climb

WWPS Continues Graduation Success: Highest on-time Four and Five-year rates in recent history

Walla Walla Public Schools’ on-time four year graduation rate reached an all-time high, jumping to 91.7% for the graduating Class of 2020. This is up 16.6% since the implementation of the district’s new strategic plan in 2016-17. According to data released from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Walla Public Schools’ five-year graduation rate also achieved its highest mark ever at 93.9 percent for the Class of 2019, up 8.1% since 2016-17.

“I’m so proud of our recent graduates and staff for staying engaged and focused on learning despite the many challenges COVID brought to our school system last spring,” said Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith. “When the 2017-2022 Strategic Plan was established, school board members set a lofty target of reaching an 85% on-time graduation rate by 2022. We surpassed this benchmark three years early and continue to make annual improvement.”

The district has also closed the gap between student ethnic populations as the Hispanic/Latino graduate rate nears 88%, up almost 18% since the 2016-17 school year.

"Our strategic plan commits us to prioritizing equity and access for students and their families,” said Superintendent Dr. Wade Smith. “These focused efforts continue to pay dividends in student success and outcomes as we close racial achievement gaps across our district." 

Superintendent Smith credits the district's strategic plan, dedicated staff and deliberate efforts in keeping students connected and engaged in school for this historic data. “This is one of many indicators that take us one step closer to our vision of ‘Developing Washington’s Most Sought-after graduates’,” noted Smith.