Graduation rates increase after grad rules removed

By Oregon Moms Union,

Oregon Department of Education Announces High School Graduation Rate Increases in The Wake of Removing Graduation Requirements

Portland, Ore. – Today, the Oregon Department of Education announced the statewide graduation rate for the class of 2022 is 81.3 percent, which they touted as the second-highest graduation rate ever recorded in Oregon.

In 2021, the Oregon legislature removed graduation requirements for students to show a 10th-grade proficiency level in reading, writing, and math in order to receive a high school diploma.

“The Oregon Department of Education has dumbed down the education system, and now they’re bragging about graduation rates,” said MacKensey Pulliam, President of the Oregon Moms Union. “It’s easy to show an increase in graduation rates when they remove requirements that students show they can read, write and do math at a 10th-grade level. All the new numbers show is that Oregon high schools are turning into diploma mills.”

Worse yet, in 2022, recommendations were released by the Oregon Department of Education for new graduation rates that just required students to pass classes without showing any common understanding of the subject matter.

“How many students will now graduate without the necessary knowledge and skills to compete with kids in other states,” asked Pulliam. “Instead of reducing graduation requirements to make themselves look better, ODE should focus on academics, so kids are able to graduate with standard proficiency levels that prepare them for the future.”

MacKensey Pulliam has written two op-eds about graduation rates in Oregon:

“Oregon wants to dumb down graduation standards so it can hide how badly it is failing our kids” 

“Lawmakers’ get failing grade on graduation requirements”

The Oregon Moms Union is a non-profit organization that empowers parents to advocate for a student-first K-12 education system. The organization has volunteer School District Captains serving in more than 75 school districts. Learn more at www.oregonmomsunion.com.