Gov. Steve Beshear and Kentucky Education Commissioner Terry Holliday are celebrating early results of the state’s education assessments. The pair joined in Frankfort Tuesday to announce the highest high school graduation rate in recent state history.
That rate is 86 percent, up from 78 percent last year. The state is also using a more accurate graduation rate formula.
Holliday said the graduation rate should also be considered alongside the college and career readiness rate, which is only 54 percent. But that too is a large improvement over previous years. He said college and career ready means that students have met the benchmarks that will better prepare them for life after high school.
“That means that they won’t have to borrow money for remedial courses at the college level that don’t carry any credit," Holliday said. "That means that mom and dad don’t have to foot the bill for remedial courses.”
Beshear said the state is changing its image following years of bad test scores, which he called embarrassing. Data from individual districts and schools is expected to be released late next week.
