North Coast graduation rates 2025

On the North Coast, graduation rates are up slightly for the class of 2024.

According to data released by the Oregon Department of Education on Jan. 30, 81.8% of high schoolers statewide graduated on time in the class of 2024 — the second-highest rate ever. That’s despite a range of challenges, including a freshman year dominated by online learning and struggles to bring attendance rates back up to pre-pandemic levels.

Local high schools have faced similar challenges. According to past ODE data, only 57% of ninth-graders were on track to graduate from Astoria Senior High School during the 2020-2021 school year.

“These were students who started their high school career entirely in a remote learning model, that comprehensive distance learning model, which proved to be very challenging,” said Lynn Jackson, the school’s principal.

Still, the Astoria class of 2024 managed to achieve a 91.5% four-year graduation rate — the highest in Clatsop County, and roughly 10 percentage points above the state average. Jackson attributed much of that success to the high school’s on-track-to-graduate program, which includes two on-track coaches and a student success coordinator who work together to support student needs, and the district’s family liaison, who helps reengage students who have missed school.

Students have also been able to receive academic and peer support during the school day and make up credits through summer learning programs. In addition, the district offers a program for incoming freshmen to get a head start on credits by taking two classes — a freshman transitions course and a health course — over the summer.

In Seaside, 78.4% of students in the class of 2024 graduated in four years, marking a 1.5-point increase from the previous class. Although that doesn’t match the class of 2022’s peak of 91.45%, Seaside Middle School and High School principal Jeff Roberts said it indicates relative stability within the district.

Like many schools across the county and state, building back attendance and supporting new students has been a key focus. Roberts said a part-time attendance coordinator has played an important role in those efforts, as has the district’s designated ninth-grade success coordinator, who regularly meets with students.

“Having students return to school on a regular basis since the pandemic has been a real challenge,” Roberts said. “And so we will continue to work on trying to get kids here, because we know that when kids are here, when students are here, their success rate is exponentially better.”

Overcoming pandemic challenges

Warrenton High School saw the county’s second-highest graduation rate for the class of 2024 at 86.3%, up 9.4 points from the previous year. Tom Rogozinski, the Warrenton-Hammond School District’s superintendent, said many of the students who didn’t graduate on time stopped coming to school during the pandemic.

“Often, what that looks like is, two or three years ago, the student ceased coming to school,” he said. “They sort of never revisited our school or any other school district, and then we see three years later, like, wow, they’re still in our cohort.”

Rogozinski pointed out that the district has historically had a high percentage of students experiencing homelessness — and although the majority of those students at Warrenton High School graduated on time, those at Warrior Academy, the district’s alternative online school, did not. In fact, just one out of the eight seniors enrolled in Warrior Academy received a diploma in 2024.

Recently, the district has been looking at ways to help Warrior Academy meld better with social activities, sports and other extracurricular opportunities at Warrenton High School.

“We think those tweaks will help that particular cohort that had been struggling to get across and finish,” Rogozinski said. He added that the district’s family and community liaison has played an important role in addressing attendance concerns across the district and connecting families with resources.

At Knappa High School, graduation rates saw a dip from 84.2% to 73.%. However, district superintendent Bill Fritz said the numbers aren’t particularly surprising, because Knappa’s student population is so small, just a few students can make a significant difference for the overall graduation rate.

Fritz said the district has focused on supporting students through a robust ninth-grade on track program, as well as a secondary mathematics class aimed at preteaching and reteaching concepts students may struggle with. The district also continues to reach out to students after their senior year if they still need to complete graduation requirements. At the same time, Fritz said Paul Isom, the high school’s principal, has been working with teachers to bring academic expectations into alignment with state standards.

“We do the best we can when kids are in the system, and we continue to work with them, even post-graduation,” Fritz said. “You don’t want to see those numbers go down, but you also want to make sure that you’re maintaining high standards for kids, and you don’t want to lower those standards just to change your graduation rate.”

The Jewell School District — the smallest district in the county — saw a graduation rate of 66.7% for the class of 2024. That’s an improvement from the previous year’s 57.1% graduation rate, but a significant change from a 100% streak the district held for three of the past six years.

“We’re disappointed with our graduation rates, where they’re not quite where we’re setting our visions, obviously,” said Cory Pederson, the district’s interim superintendent. “When our numbers average eight or 12 students going through each year roughly, I mean, just one student can greatly shift that graduation rate one way or another.”

Pederson said part of the challenge has been staff turnover; over the past two decades, the district has seen well over a dozen administrators. Nevertheless, he has confidence in the work the district is doing. The district’s multitiered system of supports, for example, has been growing steadily.

Pederson added that the district has also put resources toward a teacher on special assignment focused on tracking attendance data and has committed to a consistent high school schedule and developed a handbook for high schoolers.

“We’re still working toward supporting the needs of all of our students as they come through,” Pederson said.

CTE successes

Statewide, students completing two credits in an approved career and technical education (CTE) program significantly exceeded the statewide average, with a 97.7% graduation rate. Clatsop County high schools saw a similar trend, with graduation rates for students completing at least two CTE credits above 95% in Astoria and Warrenton and at 90.9% in Knappa.

“That’s, I think, a testament to the power that CTE has,” Rogozinski said. Warrenton High School has CTE programs focused on fisheries, welding and graphic design, and is hoping to expand to include a forestry program.

Roberts said he’s seen the positive impacts of CTE programs at Seaside High School, too. Areas of study include culinary arts, construction and business and marketing.

“We know that those are three industries in this town that are thriving, that we have some local business partners that serve on advisory boards that can support that work,” he said. “Students find a home in those programs, and those are classes that they want to be here for and they don’t want to miss, and so their inclusion in those programs, in turn, sees them here as regular attenders.”

Jackson has seen a similar benefit at Astoria High School. Although he’d stop short of drawing a direct link between CTE participation and high graduation rates, he certainly sees a correlation between students engaging in that coursework and finding purpose in their academic programs.

He added that, although important work happens at the high school level for graduation preparedness, that work starts much earlier.

“This is truly a 13-year journey, and not just upon entry as a freshman,” Jackson said, “and I’m grateful for all of the district educators who provide those quality services, whether they be at an elementary school, the middle school or high school.”