Staff members of the Durango School District have been spending
time this fall discussing and reviewing graduation statistics.
We know as a district that we must continue to focus on our
graduation rate, but we also recognize that this should include
a strong look at the quality and preparation of our graduates
for their next chosen step in life. A quick review of graduation
rates shows that our district has hovered between 69 percent and
75 percent of our students graduating on time in a four-year
time period. What is not reflected in this number are students
who choose to remain in high school because of special-education
programs or because of a requirement for additional classes
before graduation. These students are reflected as non-
completers and affect this rate. Furthermore, some of our
students choose to work through our partner, the Durango Adult
Education Center, to enter a General Education Diploma program
based on personal needs. When we look at students completing
with either a diploma or a GED,