In a report released by the Oregon Department of Education Thursday, Roseburg High School's graduation rate for 2022 was lower than the state average, a result that Roseburg Public Schools says was anticipated because of the pandemic and will be temporary based on the success of programs already in place at the school.

The 2022 graduation rate for Roseburg High School was 79%, compared to nearly 90% in 2021, the highest rate on record. The statewide average was 81%, up from 2021's 80%.

According to a press release by Roseburg Public Schools, ninth-graders are considered on track to graduate when they've earned six or more credits by the start of their 10th-grade year. The number of ninth-graders on track in the 2020-21 school year dropped below 75% during the height of the pandemic, down from 90% the previous year.

Roseburg Public Schools says that number has already begun to rebound with the return of in-person learning. RHS ninth-graders reached an 83% on-track rate in the 2021-22 school year.

"Over the past several years, RHS has built several programs to support ninth- and 10th-graders, including Small Learning Communities, a 9th-grade Success Team, counselor check-ins, and a graduation coach and attendance monitor, among others."

“Our programs have proven successful,” said RHS Principal Dr. Jill Weber. “We expect that the ninth-grade on track rebound for the 2021-22 school year will be reflected in increased graduation rates three years from now.”

"Shifts in the district’s strategies for more inclusively serving all students also contributed to the lower RHS cohort grad rate. For example, RHS implemented a GED program in the 2021-22 school year. Students previously seeking GEDs were served at Rose School. Now served at RHS, GED completers are counted as non-graduates in four-year cohort graduation rates. The district also closed its Rose alternative education program to ensure every student can take advantage of the support systems and opportunities offered at RHS."

"Weber said that when measuring student success, it is important to also consider the 2022 completer rate, which includes graduates, GED completers, and students who earn their diploma in five years. That 2022 five-year RHS completer rate was about 91.5%, compared to the state average of 86.5%."

“We are proud of every single one of our students who finds their path toward completing high school,” Weber said. “That path is not the same for everyone, and that’s OK.”

The overall 2021-22 district four-year cohort graduation rate, which includes Phoenix Charter School, was about 70%, compared to the previous year’s 69%. The individual 2021-22 rate for Phoenix was nearly 31%.