TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - According to data collected by the Florida Department of Education, more high schools students are making it to commencement than they have in the past several years.
Florida's high school graduation rate has risen again this year to over 80 percent.
That means 6 percent more of the student population in the Sunshine State took to the graduation stage this year.
The state wide graduation rate among African-American students increased as well, going up by 8.6 percentage points over the last five years, rising from 63.7 percent in 2011-2012 to 72.3 percent this year.
The state commissioner of education, Pam Stewart says the news is cause for celebration, she says she's proud of student achievement in the state and is glad to see the "bar being raised."
"These results are a testament to their hard work and the benefit of Florida's accountability system, which hinges on transparency and rewards progress every step of the way," said Stewart.
