WASHINGTON (AP) — The record high American graduation rate masks large gaps among low income students and those with disabilities compared to their peers.
There are also wide disparities among states in how well they are tackling the issue.
“This year, we need to sound a stronger alarm,” said Gen. Colin Powell and his wife, Alma Powell, in a letter released Tuesday as part of an annual Grad Nation report produced in part by their America’s Promise Alliance organization. The report is based on 2013 rates using federal data, the most recent available.
The nation’s overall graduation rate has reached 81 percent, a figure frequently touted by Education Secretary Arne Duncan. Duncan said Tuesday in a statement that the gains are encouraging, but “we know that more hard work remains to truly prepare all — not just some — students for success in college.”
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