Bobcat high school students achieved a graduation rate of 90.1 percent in 2020, marking an incredible milestone for Marshalltown Schools.
The 2020 graduation rate is the District’s highest in more than a decade, and it exceeds the 2019 rate by 4 points. The students represented in the 2020 four-year figure started their freshman year in 2016.
MHS Principal Jacque Wyant said the Class of 2020 started off strong when they entered high school thanks to support from the GEAR UP Iowa program.
“MHS started Freshman House in conjunction with the GEAR UP funding,” she said. “Focusing on post-secondary and transitioning to high school is the work of Freshman House teachers and upperclassmen in Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP).”
Wyant said that multi-pronged approach put a focus on the success of all students.
Marshalltown Learning Academy Principal Eric Goslinga said he and the entire MLA staff are proud of the high graduation rate in 2020.
“MLA staff are deeply committed to building relationships with students and helping students graduate and transition to meaningful post-secondary opportunities of their choice,” Goslinga said. “Our team won’t be satisfied, though, until we achieve a 100 percent graduation rate. High school graduation is important and necessary for this 21st Century economy, and we stand ready to help anyone willing to graduate to get across the stage and pursue the career of their choice.
In addition to the impressive graduation rate, the 2020 dropout rate in grades 7-12 was the second-lowest in the past 12 years, at 2.8 percent. Supports designed to address chronic absenteeism and grow academic proficiency have been key to the downward trend in the dropout rate.
The positive numbers from the 2019-20 school year show the incredible amount of passion, dedication, and commitment MCSD staff members have for guiding Bobcat students to success. The figures also show how much hard work and effort is put in by students and their families throughout each school year.
A student’s journey to graduation begins in preschool and kindergarten, and it continues through all grade levels; we are thankful to all the staff members across the District who provide a positive, enriching learning environment for students!
