Posted January 10, 2025

MEDIA RELEASE

Brooksville - The Florida Department of Education has released its annual report of graduation rates this week. The Hernando School District's 2023 -24 graduation rate is 88.1%, a slight dip from the district's 2022-23 graduation rate. The state's average for 23-24 is 89.7% among the state's 67 school districts. State data shows that Hernando exceeded the state's average across multiple subgroups.

High schools with notable gains include:

•   Hernando High which has seen a 5% climb over the past two years - from 84.1% for 2021-22 to an 89.1% graduation rate for 2023-24 school year;

•   Nature Coast Technical moved from 93.6% in 2022-23 to 93.9% in 2023-24;

•   Springstead High moved from 89.7% to 90.1%; and

•   Hernando eSchool moved from 94.7% to 96.8%.

Hernando Schools also saw an increase in graduation rates across several Federal Index subgroups: Graduation rates for black students jumped from 86.1% in 2022-23 to 90.1% in 2023-24 (statewide percentage is 85.3%); the rate for Hispanic students moved up from 87.2% to 89.6% (statewide percentage is 89%). ESE students made an almost 2 point gain from 84.7% to 86% and English Language Learners (ELL) had the largest improvement moving from 82.9% in 2023 to 85.5% in 2024.

"All student achievement data are markers of success and guideposts for improvement," Superintendent Ray Pinder said. "While this data is related to last year's graduates, it still holds value and relevancy for our school leaders who will include it in their plans for improvement."