By ELIZABETH DUNBAR
Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. — Education officials were set Wednesday to release new data on the state’s high school graduation rate that could give a more accurate picture of the number of students earning diplomas.

It’s the first time North Carolina officials have released the cohort graduation rate, a measure recommended by the National Gov.’s Association that shows what percentage of first-time ninth graders graduated four years later. Several other states also have agreed to use the rate and change the way they report graduation information.

"It sets the foundation on which we are to build to make sure that all of our students graduate from high school," said June Atkinson, North Carolina’s Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Officials said this week that the state’s rate falls somewhere between 59 percent and 71 percent. The data won’t include the percentage of students who finished after five years, but that information will be included in next year’s reporting, Atkinson said.

Earlier this week, Atkinson called the high school graduation rate "a community issue," and said improving it will require several changes that could include raising the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18 and targeting attendance rates in middle schools. (more…)