Carson City School District graduation rate increases

The Carson City School District has reaped the benefits of a comprehensive effort to increase its high school graduation rate, seeing an increase in the rate for a fifth consecutive year.

According to data released by the Nevada Department of Education, the district had an 83.93 percent graduation rate in 2018, more than three percentage points higher than the rate of 80.31 percent in 2017. That graduation rate is for Carson and Pioneer High Schools. The graduation rate for the state was 83 percent.

What’s more the graduation rate for the district has increased by almost 10 percent over the last five years, increasing every year over the last five years when it was at 74.3 percent.

The graduation rate for Carson High also increased and was well above the state average at 93.2 percent. That’s more than a five-point increase from 2017 when the graduation rate was 88.06 percent.

Pioneer, an alternative school that serves students who can be considered to be more high-risk, saw a significant increase in its graduation rate to 80.88 percent in 2018 as opposed to 72 percent in 2017,

“We’re grateful for the hard work of the staff and students and grateful we’re are going in a positive direction,” superintendent Richard Stokes said.

Stokes said a number of factors were involved in increasing the graduation rate, including providing the students with the materials, equipment, technology and resources they need. Another big factor is the district’s effort in “filling the gaps” as Stokes put to address specific needs of students.

Stokes said the district implemented a data tracking system for every student so teachers can regularly assist students in areas they’re lacking.

Another big reason for the increase in the graduation rate is the district’s implementation of a learner-centered model. As an example in the learner-center model if a student is struggling in a specific area in a subject, the teacher can help that student in that specific area.

“That is one important part of all the things that are contributing,” said Stokes about the learner-centered model.

The state’s graduation rate increased by more than 2 percent. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Steve Canavero said the increase is an indicator Nevada schools are going in the right direction and are a national leader in education improvement.

The department says the vast majority of districts reported increases, led by Mineral County with an increase of nearly 5 percentage points.

Clark reported an increase of 2 percentage points and Washoe reported an increase of about a third of a percentage point.

Lander, Pershing and White Pine reported decreases.