Detroit Public Schools Community District's 2023 Graduation Rates Showcase Significant Post-Pandemic Recovery

Results are yet another promising indicator of DPSCD’s reform and improvement

The Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is proud to announce a notable improvement in its graduation rates for the 2022-23 academic year, signaling a significant post-pandemic recovery. The average on-time (within 4 years) graduation rate for the 2022-23 school year reached 74.3%, a considerable rise from 71.1% in 2021-22 and 64.5% in 2020-21, the latter marking the pandemic's peak impact. The 74% graduation rate is the highest in the District’s history precluding inflated graduation rates when many of the District’s neighborhood high schools were removed and placed under the Education Achievement Authority (EAA), and after dropout students were removed from the District’s graduation cohort with the transition of DPS to DPSCD.

These encouraging outcomes are a testament to the District's commitment to improve student early warning systems, invest in course recovery strategies, and better prepare students for high school through long-term investments in teacher recruitment and retention and grade level curriculum. Key initiatives include the implementation of comprehensive credit recovery programs during the school day, after school, and summer; and additional staff to support high school leaders and counselors in problem-solving through scheduling and course recovery demands.   

Dr. Nikolai P. Vitti, Superintendent of DPSCD, stated, "One of our key performance metrics is graduation rates, and it was one of the only areas that was not improving. I am proud of our high school principals, counselors, and teachers who continued to problem-solve and engage our students to ensure they continued to make up credits to graduate in four years. I am particularly proud of our graduating seniors who pushed through the challenges of the pandemic to graduate in four years. They could have easily quit and given up on securing a high school diploma in four years. This was truly a collective effort to ensure students crossed the finish line in four years!”

The announcement of these results follows the most recent positive news of the District’s post-pandemic improvement in literacy and math scores outpacing those of large urban school districts, the state average, and many suburban districts in Michigan. The graduation rate improvement also outpaces the state improvement and narrows the gap between the DPSCD and the state to only seven percentage points.

The District's new strategic plan underscores the commitment to not only continue to increase graduation rates but to also ensure more students are ready for college and careers after obtaining their high school diploma in four years. This includes:

• Enhancing students' social-emotional skills, such as goal-setting, self-management, and self-efficacy, to support their graduation journey.
• Introducing varied diploma pathways, offering students greater choice and alignment with their post-secondary aspirations.
• Expanding investments in data systems accessible to students and families, and empowering them to take charge of their progress towards on-time graduation.
• Increasing the availability of and success in accelerated and career-preparatory courses.

Board President Angelique Peterson-Mayberry added, "These graduation rate achievements, coupled with our recent academic successes and nationally recognized post-pandemic learning advancements, underscore DPSCD's upward trajectory. Under Dr. Vitti's leadership, alongside the dedication of our staff, students, and Board, we are committed to sustaining this momentum. Our goal is unwavering: to establish DPSCD as the premier urban school district nationwide."