CDE data of graduation and dropout rates confirms there is a growing achievement gap between Latino, Black, and English learner students. The achievement gap refers to the disparities in academic performance associated with race and class.
According to data provided by the National Centre for Education Statistics in 2018, of the 48 states where data was collected, Black males remain at the bottom of 4-year high school graduation rates.
Closing the achievement gap earlier in the schooling process, such as during elementary school, can improve high school graduation rates and decrease dropout rates. Individually tailored student support is one way that is proposed to accomplish this.
In The Long-Term Impact of Systemic Student Support in Elementary School: Reducing High School Dropout, Terrence J. Lee-St. John, a Biostatistician at the Research Department of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, says, “Students often fail to complete high school for complex reasons that often manifest long before they reach high school. Individually tailored student support during elementary school can lead to lasting and meaningful effects.”
Top 100 Schools Ranked by Dropout Rate
| Rank | School | District | Drop-Out rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitney (Gretchen) High | ABC Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Alameda Science and Technology Institute | Alameda Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Nea Community Learning Center | Alameda Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Amador County Special Education | Amador County Office of Education | 0 |
| 1 | Oxford Academy | Anaheim Union High | 0 |
| 1 | Anderson New Technology High | Anderson Union High | 0 |
| 1 | Anderson Valley Junior-Senior High | Anderson Valley Unified | 0 |
| 1 | SOAR High (Students On Academic Rise) | Antelope Valley Union High | 0 |
| 1 | Academy for Academic Excellence | Apple Valley Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Mayfair High | Bellflower Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Golden Sierra Junior Senior High | Black Oak Mine Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Clarksville Charter | Buckeye Union Elementary | 0 |
| 1 | Pilarcitos Alternative High (Continuation) | Cabrillo Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Calistoga Junior-Senior High | Calistoga Joint Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Minarets High | Chawanakee Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Learning Choice Academy - Chula Vista | Chula Vista Elementary | 0 |
| 1 | NOVA Academy - Coachella | Coachella Valley Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Compton Early College High | Compton Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Contra Costa School of Performing Arts | Contra Costa County Office of Education | 0 |
| 1 | Technology High | Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified | 0 |
| 1 | South Hills High | Covina-Valley Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Da Vinci Charter Academy | Davis Joint Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Davis School for Independent Study | Davis Joint Unified | 0 |
| 1 | California School of the Arts - San Gabriel Valley | Duarte Unified | 0 |
| 1 | Durham High | Durham Unified | 0 |
| … | |||
| 1981 | California Virtual Academy @ San Diego | Spencer Valley Elementary | 35 |
| 1983 | Crescent View West Public Charter | Fresno County Office of Education | 35.1 |
| 1983 | California Connections Academy @ North Bay | Middletown Unified | 35.1 |
| 1985 | Vista High (Continuation) | Escalon Unified | 35.3 |
| 1985 | J. C. Montgomery | Kings County Office of Education | 35.3 |
| 1987 | Moneta Continuation | Los Angeles Unified | 35.5 |
| 1987 | New Village Girls Academy | Los Angeles Unified | 35.5 |
| 1987 | Odyssey Continuation | Los Angeles Unified | 35.5 |
| 1987 | Cesar Chavez Community | Yolo County Office of Education | 35.5 |
| 1991 | W.E.B. DuBois Public Charter | Washington Unified | 35.6 |
| 1992 | Mountain Lakes High | Gateway Unified | 35.7 |
| 1992 | California Virtual Academy San Mateo | Jefferson Elementary | 35.7 |
| 1992 | San Luis Obispo County Community | San Luis Obispo County Office of Education | 35.7 |
| 1995 | Santa Clara County Court | Santa Clara County Office of Education | 36.1 |
| 1996 | S. William Abel Community | Colusa County Office of Education | 36.4 |
| 1996 | Kings Lake Education Center | Corcoran Joint Unified | 36.4 |
| 1996 | Vista Continuation High | Kern High | 36.4 |
| 1996 | San Joaquin High (Continuation) | McFarland Unified | 36.4 |
| 1996 | OUSD Home Sch | Orange Unified | 36.4 |
| 1996 | Placer County Community Schools | Placer County Office of Education | 36.4 |
| 1996 | Valley Center Prep | Valley Center-Pauma Unified | 36.4 |
| 2003 | Zane Grey Continuation | Los Angeles Unified | 36.5 |
| 2004 | Opportunities for Learning - Capistrano | Capistrano Unified | 36.8 |
| 2004 | Castlemont High | Oakland Unified | 36.8 |
| 2006 | Sunset High (Continuation) | San Dieguito Union High | 37 |
| 2007 | Stanislaus Alternative Charter | Stanislaus County Office of Education | 37.2 |
| 2008 | Simon Rodia Continuation | Los Angeles Unified | 37.4 |
| 2009 | Kirby Dorothy Camp | Los Angeles County Office of Education | 37.5 |
| 2009 | Hillcrest at Youth Services Center | San Mateo County Office of Education | 37.5 |
| 2011 | Buena Vista High | Paramount Unified | 38.1 |
| 2012 | California Connections Academy@Central | Alpaugh Unified | 38.3 |
| 2012 | Highland Park Continuation | Los Angeles Unified | 38.3 |
| 2014 | West Hollywood Opportunity | Los Angeles Unified | 38.5 |
| 2014 | Tehama Oaks High | Tehama County Department of Education | 38.5 |
| 2014 | Yuba County Special Education | Yuba County Office of Education | 38.5 |
| 2017 | Redondo Shores High (Continuation) | Redondo Beach Unified | 38.9 |
| 2017 | iQ Academy California-Los Angeles | Rowland Unified | 38.9 |
| 2019 | Olive Grove Charter - Lompoc | SBE - Olive Grove Charter - Lompoc | 39 |
| 2020 | Mountain Vista High | Madera Unified | 39.1 |
| 2020 | New School Community Day | Pajaro Valley Unified | 39.1 |
| 2020 | Options for Youth San Gabriel | San Gabriel Unified | 39.1 |
| 2023 | Furman (Duane E.) High (Independent Study Program) | Madera Unified | 39.5 |
| 2024 | Frida Kahlo High | Los Angeles Unified | 39.7 |
| 2025 | Cambridge High | Coalinga-Huron Unified | 40 |
| 2025 | Mendocino County Community | Mendocino County Office of Education | 40 |
| 2025 | California Connections Academy @ Ripon | Ripon Unified | 40 |
| 2025 | Gateway Community | Ventura County Office of Education | 40 |
| 2025 | Wolfskill High | Winters Joint Unified | 40 |
| 2030 | Ingenuity Charter | San Diego Unified | 40.4 |
| 2031 | Santa Cruz County Community | Santa Cruz County Office of Education | 40.6 |
| 2032 | Elm High | Washington Unified | 40.7 |
| … | |||
| 2169 | Oroville High Community Day | Oroville Union High | 81.8 |
| 2171 | Gould Educational Center | Madera County Superintendent of Schools | 82.4 |
| 2172 | Come Back Charter | Merced County Office of Education | 83.7 |
| 2173 | Gateway High (Continuation) | Chowchilla Union High | 84.6 |
| 2174 | Tulare County Court | Tulare County Office of Education | 85.7 |
| 2175 | Dan Jacobs | Yolo County Office of Education | 88.9 |
| 2176 | Matrix for Success Academy | Los Angeles Unified | 89.6 |
| 2177 | Violet Heintz Education Academy | Fresno County Office of Education | 90 |
| 2177 | EPIC de Cesar Chavez | Nevada County Office of Education | 90 |
| 2179 | Escuela Popular/Center for Training and Careers Family Learning | East Side Union High | 90.2 |
| 2180 | Independence Charter Academy | Helendale Elementary | 90.3 |
| 2181 | Five Keys Adult School (SF Sheriff's) | San Francisco Unified | 91.4 |
| 2182 | Highlands Community Charter | Twin Rivers Unified | 91.6 |
| 2183 | S.F. County Special Education | San Francisco County Office of Education | 91.7 |
| 2184 | SIATech Academy South | Acton-Agua Dulce Unified | 92.1 |
| 2185 | Five Keys Independence HS (SF Sheriff's) | San Francisco Unified | 92.4 |
| 2186 | Clear Passage Educational Center | Long Beach Unified | 92.9 |
| 2187 | Boron Junior-Senior High | Muroc Joint Unified | 93.2 |
| 2188 | Laytonville High | Laytonville Unified | 93.8 |
| 2189 | Five Keys Charter (SF Sheriff's) | San Francisco Unified | 95.5 |
| 2190 | San Bernardino County Special Education | San Bernardino County Office of Education | 96.1 |
| 2191 | Shasta County Independent Study Charter | Shasta County Office of Education | 97.3 |
| 2192 | Family First Charter | Centinela Valley Union High | 98 |
| 2193 | New Opportunities Charter | Centinela Valley Union High | 98.2 |
| 2194 | Special Education | Tulare County Office of Education | 98.6 |
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